Lessons In Parenting
by Phoenix on cloud nine
Summary: "Michael James Specter," Mike said quietly – so quietly he doubted anyone could hear it. Harvey however, did hear it. And damn it, if it didn't stir up some sort of emotion within him that he couldn't pinpoint. Sequel to 'Crayons For Your Associate, Sir'.
1. Knocked Into A Different Life

**Hey, you beautiful people :D Can I just say that I mean it when I say that without you lovely reviewers, this story wouldn't have made it to the printing press. It was YOUR enthusiasm that inspired my own :) **

**And also – if you haven't read the story before this, you might want to cause it's kinda important ;)**

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><p>"Mike?" Mike glanced up from where had been resting at his desk. It was late, and he had been in, trying to finish some files for Louis before he left for the night.<p>

"Harvey, hey," he said softly, rubbing at his eyes tiredly. It had been nearly 2 months after his 'trip to munchkinland' as Donna liked to call it – and Nick as well, who Mike sometimes met up with for beers; much to Harvey's chagrin. In that time, he felt like he had definitely come to terms with all that had happened, but sometimes little things started to creep up on him.

He kept getting small headaches, small aches and pains – and he often left a lamp on when he went to bed; just on the off chance that _something _was there in the dark, watching him.

And right now, he was just _so damn tired_. He'd been looking so tired that; after 1 month of going without, Harvey had suggested a nap that day. Mike had taken the chance, but felt no more refreshed than when he had laid down.

"Are you okay?" Harvey asked. It was late at night, and Mike was the only associate in the bullpen. Harvey felt fine with sounding like caring if there weren't any witnesses.

"I'm okay," Mike said, rubbing at his eyes. "I just need more sleep. I'll go home soon."

"Make sure you do," Harvey said lightly, stood there casually with his hands in his pockets. "We have court in the morning. Did you finish my patent?"

Mike nodded and passed it over, rubbing at his eyes again.

"Go home, Mike," Harvey said quietly. "I'll see Louis about the paperwork."

"It's fine," Mike argued. "It's been months, I can do work."

"It's too much," Harvey stated, as if daring Mike to argue back.

Mike held up his hands in a gesture of defeat, causing Harvey to give a small snort. "I'm going," he murmured, grabbing his things and turning his desk lamp off, before quickly turning it back on. "When did all the other lights go out?" Mike asked. He had been so into his work he hadn't noticed.

Harvey sighed and turned Mike's lamp off. He quickly put his hand on the younger man's shoulder as he had suddenly frozen when they were plunged into darkness. "Come on," he manoeuvred Mike through the corridors and towards the elevators. "Go get some sleep," he said.

"Aye aye, Captain," Mike said, giving a tired smile and a small salute.

Harvey rolled his eyes in mock disdain but gave Mike the ghost of a smile as the elevator doors shut. He wandered to Mike's desk and grabbed all the folders that had no doubt been left there by Louis. It was only when he got them back in his office that he let the annoyance show on his face. Harvey had specifically told Louis to go easy on Mike – he still wasn't completely 100% and recently…

Harvey sighed and sat down in his chair. Recently Mike had been slowly going back to how he was just after he changed back. He was getting snappy again if he didn't have enough sleep – and when he _did _sleep, it didn't seem to help much. And he still had this thing about the dark.

Harvey checked his watch and pulled himself off the chair – Mike wasn't the only one who needed to be sharp for court in the morning.

* * *

><p>Mike threw himself onto his bed and turned his bedside lamp on as he did so. He huffed into the pillow as he felt parts of his back release tension he had been feeling all day. He felt frustration build up inside him and frowned, rolling over to face the ceiling. <em>Why <em>was he feeling like this?

He felt like he was on an emotional rollercoaster – one minute he was fine and the next he felt like bawling. And why was his head hurting _so much_?

"Someone up there hates me," he groaned out loud, before jumping as he thought he heard something scrabbling around underneath his bed. He gave a strangled yelp and drew all of his limbs in to be as tightly around his body as possible, sitting right in the centre of his bed. He trembled as his bed shook slightly, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to even his breathing.

Suddenly, his cell started ringing and he leapt up in shock, before quickly grabbing it and answering in a gasp, "Hello?"

"_Mike?" _Harvey sounded concerned. _"Are you okay?"_

"Harvey, there's something in the apartment," Mike said in a hushed voice.

A sigh came on the other end. _"Mike, we've talked about this. There is _nothing _under your bed, in your wardrobe or behind the shower curtain."_

"I swear I heard something moving," Mike murmured.

"_Mike, there's nothing there," _Harvey said firmly. _"Do I need to come round?"_

"Yes," Mike said instantly, before frowning. Why was he suddenly so eager for Harvey to come back? "Please, _please _hurry."

He could tell that on the other end, Harvey had no idea what to say in response. After all, most of the time he asked that, Mike would say no, not wanting Harvey to see him as weak or a coward. _"I'm on my way, kid – is your door unlocked?"_

"Yeah."

"_Another thing we need to talk about. Okay, I'll be there in 10."_

Mike nodded and clutched at his phone as he thought he heard breathing sounds. _It's just the boiler, _he thought to himself, squeezing his eyes shut. _It's just the boiler, and Harvey will get here and tell me how stupid I'm being._

The time seemed to pass with agonising length but soon there was a soft knock on his door and Harvey walked in. He came into the doorway of Mike's bedroom and gave him a sad smile as he saw the way Mike had curled around himself in the middle of the bed.

"Harvey, don't look, there's something there – don't look under," Mike pleaded, his breathing rapid.

"Hey, hey, calm down," Harvey said softly. "Just relax. I'm just going to have a really quick look, okay? Just a quick peek."

Mike watched as Harvey bent down and pulled the covers back so he could see under the bed. Harvey looked back up at Mike significantly and flapped the covers slightly. "Nothing," he said, staying knelt down. "Do you want to come see?"

Mike shook his head, feeling stupid. But still all he wanted right now was to crawl into Harvey's lap and be shushed, gently rocked to sleep. He'd had these thoughts the first few weeks after changing back, but they were suddenly back in full force.

"What did you call me for?" Mike asked, trying to sound normal.

"I was going to ask if you had the papers in the right order for court," Harvey said, now standing from his knelt position. "Do you?"

"Uh… yeah," Mike replied, nodding. "Yeah, I do. Uh… Do you want a coffee or something?"

"No," Harvey shook his head. "I need to get sleep. I'm going to pick you up from here at exactly half past 8 tomorrow morning, got it?"

Mike nodded. "I got it," Harvey nodded and walked towards the front door. "Harvey?" He turned as Mike said his name. "Thanks."

Harvey nodded, giving him a small smile. "No problem, kiddo. Go to sleep."

* * *

><p>As Harvey pulled up outside Mike's pitiful excuse of a home, he frowned when he saw that the man in question wasn't outside. He rolled his eyes and pulled out his cell to call him.<p>

No answer.

Harvey told himself not to worry, but _something _inside of him was screaming that something wasn't right. He growled and told Ray to hang on, and got out of the car, walking towards Mike's apartment building. He got inside and worked his way up the stairs (the elevator was out of order again), pausing outside of Mike's apartment. He knocked and waited.

Nothing.

He frowned and knocked harder.

Still nothing.

He tried the door handle on the off chance that Mike had been very stupid and left it unlocked…

Stupid kid.

Harvey strode in, glancing around. He spied Mike's old messenger bag on the couch and also his bike stashed behind the door.

Mike must have still been here.

Harvey thought he heard something from the bedroom, and frowned when he saw the door was shut.

_Dammit, Mike, if I have to drag you out of sex to come to work I will._

He jimmied the handle and found he couldn't open it. "Mike?" He yelled.

He heard a faint gasp. "You can't – Harvey, I'm not feeling well… I'll come in tomorrow."

"You don't sound… you sound different."

"I'm ill!" Mike insisted. "I'll come in a different day – go, you can't be late for court!"

Mike didn't sound ill. In fact, the way his voice had been wavering… It sounded like he'd been trying not to cry.

"I'm coming in," Harvey decreed, shoving his shoulder against the door. He heard it scrape against something that had been placed underneath the handle. He shoved it one more time (wincing, forgetting about his old shoulder injury) and the door opened.

Harvey's stomach nearly dropped out of his shoes.

"Mike?"

There, on the bed, was a small, three year old boy with bright blonde hair, big blue eyes, and tear tracks down his face.

Mike didn't know how long the silence lasted for, but he wasn't really that bothered – all he was bothered about was _how _had this happened and _what _would they do now?

"Harvey, I'm sorry, I'm _so _sorry, but I just don't know what happened – you have to go, you'll miss court, I'm sorry, I'll stay here – maybe it'll wear off in a day and then I can – " His burbling was cut off as he was lifted into a hold by a shell-shocked Harvey.

He automatically snuggled into it before realised what he was doing and tried to stop. "I'm sorry," he whispered again.

"Shh," Harvey murmured, running his fingers through Mike's hair. "It's okay… It's alright…"

"No it's _not_!" Mike sobbed. "This can't be happening again, I barely got over the _last _time – what if – "

"Mike," Harvey said firmly, jumping the small boy on his hip slightly. "Don't worry. We'll got see Dr Green."

"Anna?" Mike sniffed, rubbing at his eyes.

"Yes," Harvey replied, looking around the room and wondering if there was anything he could wrap Mike in besides a shirt. "Ray's waiting outside."

"But what about court?"

"I'll send Louis."

Mike's eyes bulged out of their sockets but he refused to say anything, and just relished the feeling of being able to snuggle into Harvey's neck again – for however brief a time this odd relapse was, he was determined to get all of the affection he had been starved of before he turned back once more.

* * *

><p>"<em>What?<em>" Harvey hissed icily, glaring daggers into Anna Green as she nervously started picking threads from her sleeve. Mike was sat in the room just next door to them, having been plonked into a pen full of puppies by Harvey just so he and Anna could talk in private.

They had gone to Harvey's, where Mike had wordlessly dressed in some clothes that apparently Harvey had 'forgotten' to get rid of; not to mention the bed (which had _fresh bedding _on it). And then on to Dr Green's lab, where Mike had been unceremoniously placed in a puppy pen and told to 'be quiet while the grown up's talked'.

Mike threw his shoe at Harvey.

And that had Harvey smiling.

Until now.

"What do you mean?" He hissed at Dr Green.

"I – I thought it might be different with a human specimen," she said softly, looking over at the small boy who couldn't help but giggle as one of the puppies licked his nose. "Those puppies – they relapsed too. I thought maybe it was the dog physiology, that maybe if I tried a human it would – "

"I'm suing you," Harvey assured her. "I'm suing you for ever penny you have, and everything your _son _worked so hard for – it'll all be gone."

Her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry!" She whimpered. "I thought that after so long of being normal it would be fine!"

"And now what?" Harvey said. "What happens?"

"Nothing that I'm aware of," she sniffed, looking mournfully over at the small boy. "He'll just grow normally. You can help him through all the milestones that parents get to go through," she gave a small sob, no doubt thinking of her own son.

"Spare me the tears," Harvey said, too angry to be sympathetic. "Are you telling me that Mike _won't _turn back?"

"But look at the wonderful opportunity he has now!" She tried to placate him.

"His wonderful opportunity was this job, and the rest of his adult life was looking up," Harvey growled. "How is he supposed to find this a good thing?"

"I'm sorry," she said again, looking down.

Harvey rubbed at his face and started pacing, flicking glances over at Mike occasionally to make sure he wasn't seeing that anything was amiss.

What would he do?

There was always the useless threatening of Anna to make her try harder to find some sort of cure, which would probably not work and wasn't Harvey's style anyway; plus Harvey was pretty sure she was mentally unbalanced – he'd known it before, but it looked like the death of her son had actually driven her somewhat insane. Suing her would be nice, but it wouldn't actually yield any results. Asking other scientists wouldn't help either. Mike would be cut open so fast that Harvey wouldn't have time take the clothes back.

It only left the option that seemed to be his _only _option.

Mike was going to have to grow up anyway. That was non-negotiable and apparently there was nothing that Anna could do (_and _shit_, how was he going to tell Mike?_).

_Could _he look after Mike?

For the _rest _of his life?

He'd managed those two weeks, and sure – they'd been a good two weeks (_the best_), but they were only two weeks out of an endless lifetime.

And this wasn't just his decision to make either.

Even if he did manage to psych himself up to this, there was always the very good chance that Mike wouldn't actually want to live with him (_and he still had to tell him, jesus how was he going to tell him?_).

"Harvey?" He opened his eyes from their closed position they had taken without his knowledge as he thought hard. Anna was looking at him with dewy eyes.

"Should I tell him?"

Harvey shook his head and walked to the next room, before stopping and looking back. "You're sure there's no way for him to go back to normal?" She shook her head. "But there won't be anything damaging about this?" He checked. "Nothing that would be paining him physically or mentally."

"I don't think so," she said in a quiet, looking as if all she wanted to do was take Mike into a cuddle and not let him go.

Harvey nodded and let out a deep breath before steadying himself and going over to Mike.

The kid was being overrun by the puppies in the pen and Harvey managed to pick him up and take him over to the chairs that were set up around the table. "Dogs have never really liked me that much," Mike told him as Harvey got settled. "I guess those ones were just happy to see a new face."

Harvey shrugged and looked down at Mike. God, he felt like he was about to tell the kid his grandmother had died. "Harvey?" Mike said in a soft voice. "What did Anna say?"

Harvey swallowed but steeled himself, running his hand through Mike's hair. "There's… the animals she tested this on – they relapsed too. Those puppies are in the same position you're in," he said.

"Right," Mike said uneasily. "And?"

"And…" Harvey fidgeted. _Do it fast, like a band aid_, he thought to himself. "And she doesn't know how to undo it."

There. He'd said it.

"She… _what_?" Mike's voice cracked and wavered. "What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry, Mike," Harvey said – his own voice sounding off to his ears. "I can't think of anything else – "

"But what am I supposed to _do_?" Mike asked, a hiccup in his voice. "How am I supposed to live? I can't go live with Grammy, and Jenny doesn't even know any of this happened! I don't have any good friends who would take me in, and I – what about my job? I love my job, I can't just throw it away and – will I grow up? What if I…"

He was sobbing now, and Harvey wasn't feeling that great either. He ran shaking fingers through Mike's hair and rocked him slightly, shushing him occasionally.

"I can't imagine how you're feeling right now," Harvey said softly. "But I'm here for you, okay? If you… if you want, you can…" He couldn't say it, not outright, he just couldn't.

"You can… I – I can live with you?" Mike sniffed.

"I'm not leaving you on your own, Mike," Harvey said seriously. "If you need me, I'm here."

Mike gave a large sniff. He thought back to his first few weeks – when he 'made the best out of a bad situation'. It was what he was good at. And this was definitely a bad situation. But tears weren't going to fix things – he might as well try and act reasonably.

"Okay," he said softly. "If you want me to."

"Of course I want you to," Harvey replied, standing up and walking out of the lab without a backwards glance at the scientist who had been standing there nervously.

"I want to as well," Mike said quietly, rubbing at the tear tracks on his face to try and get rid of them.

* * *

><p>After Donna had screamed loudly enough to make both Louis <em>and <em>Jessica come out of their offices, they were all in Harvey's office, with Mike sitting on Harvey's lap in his chair, trying his hardest not to sniff or sob.

"So there's nothing she can do?" Donna asked quietly.

"No," Harvey replied solemnly. "Mike has to grow up. That's it."

"Harvey, you know I can read you like a book," Jessica stated. "And I know what you're thinking. And as much as I hope you know what you're doing, I don't think you do."

Mike frowned, confused, whilst Harvey gazed at her defiantly. "I know what I'm doing," he stated firmly. "I don't care what kind of things come out of it, I want Mike living with me."

"And what does Mike want?" Jessica asked.

"Harvey," Mike said in a wobbly voice.

"Well I'd say that's settled," Donna said, her hands on her hips. "Harvey – don't deny it, you want to look after Mike and he needs to be looked after. And he feels safest around you. Surely this is best for all involved?"

Jessica looked at Harvey, who looked down at Mike rather than looking at her. Mike gazed back up with watery eyes but gave a small, scared smile. "It's okay," he whispered. Harvey squeezed him and looked at Jessica and nodded.

"Okay," she clapped her hands, suddenly business like. "Louis," the man who had so far remained silent in the room snapped to attention. "I need you to draw up some adoption papers as quickly as possible."

"Adoption?" Mike asked, his eyes wide. "No one said anything about adoption."

"You're a minor, Mike," Donna said. "Someone has to be in loco parentis – and the easiest way to do that is for Harvey to adopt you."

"I… Harvey, don't you mind?" Mike squeaked.

"It's only a piece of paper, Mike," Harvey told him.

"You'll have to change your name," Jessica told him. "But that's all that will change."

"Michael James Specter," Mike said quietly – so quietly he doubted anyone could hear it. Harvey however, did hear it.

And damn it, if it didn't stir up some sort of emotion within him that he couldn't pinpoint.

"Jessica," Louis said in a low voice, bringing in some paperwork. "I can call in a few favours with some judges. Adoption takes time and questions. We fill these out, and no one will need to know."

Jessica raised an eyebrow and glanced over the papers. She started smiling. "Thank you, Louis. Gentlemen," she turned to Harvey and Mike. "Unfortunately, Michael James Ross was hit by a car today and passed away. And Harvey, the mother of your son Michael James Specter, was also hit by a car, so you have full custody of him. Now, while I will admit that you have a lot on your plate at the minute, I'm happy for you to take custody of your son if you so wish."

Harvey couldn't help but smirk at this story.

Jessica was still waiting. "Well?"

Harvey once more looked down at Mike. "These documents will show me as your biological father," his tone was questioning, still wanting to be sure if Mike was up for it still.

"Okay," Mike said quietly. "I mean… I guess… If you're okay with it."

"Oh for goodness sake!" Donna said, rolling her eyes. "Harvey – Mike can't wait. Mike – Harvey's over the moon. Just _sign _it already!"

Harvey looked at Mike one more time, who nodded, his eyes wide. Harvey took the pen Jessica was offering and signed a few papers with a trembling hand.

"Harvey, you're a _dad_!" Donna screamed ecstatically as soon as he laid the pen back down. "Oh, and we get to make Mike a proper bedroom, and there's _Christmas _to look forward to! And then there are birthday parties, and… Are you okay?"

Harvey nodded, letting Mike put his small hand over his own shaking one. "I'm fine."

"Donna, don't overload him just yet," Jessica said, smiling. "There's still so much to be done. Harvey you're on fewer hours right now to adjust – "

"What about me?" Mike asked. "I can still work, right?"

"I'm sorry, but we can't have a three year old associate," Jessica said gently, in a tone that they couldn't tell if she was being serious or mocking.

"I'll bring work home with me," Harvey promised in a low voice. "You can do all my paperwork."

Mike snorted. "Thanks. _Dad_."

"Oh that's the most adorable thing ever," Donna cooed. "Although if you want to keep up the illusion of being a three year old, saying 'Daddy' is probably better. Please?"

Harvey shook his head at Donna's insistence, a small smirk on his face. The trembling in his hands had lessened somewhat but it was still a lot to take in.

He was a _dad_.

"Do I get to pick a colour for my room?" Mike asked sweetly.

"Sure," Harvey replied, reading through some of the forms that he had signed.

"Wait," Mike gasped. "My gram. What's going to happen to her? She'll think her grandson's died. She can't outlive all of her family, Harvey, she just can't – I need to see her, and I still need to keep paying her bills, and – "

"Don't worry, Mike," Harvey said, rubbing his back. "We'll go see her today and explain everything. I'll pay for her bills."

Mike blushed. "You don't have to. I mean, you've done so much as it is, you – "

"Hey," Harvey lifted Mike's face with a finger under his chin. "Don't. It's fine. Anyway," he said, attempting to bring some brightness into the conversation. "I'm your father. You have to do what I say."

Mike gave a watery chuckle. "Sure thing. _Daddy_."

"You better. _Son_."

Donna gave what she would later say was something stuck in her throat but what was in actuality a sob and Jessica beamed. "Congratulations, Harvey," she said. "Have the rest of the day to yourselves. I'll see you tomorrow," she paused on her way out of the door. "And while I'm truly sorry about this Mike – I'm also happy for you."

Mike nodded to her and averted his gaze as Louis followed, offering up a hasty apologetic congratulation.

"Take the day, Donna," Harvey said, standing up and making sure Mike was nestled securely on his hip.

"Oh, you're so sweet," she fluttered her eyelids. She was about to ask to go with them, but knew better. Harvey would want to be alone with Mike. Their first night as father and son. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ready to go home?" Harvey asked Mike softly. The small boy blinked sleepily but nodded, putting his thumb in his mouth. "What have we said about that?" Harvey asked with a smile, pulling it out.

"I'm allowed to do it, I'm 3," Mike argued, resting his cheek on Harvey's shoulder.

"No kid of mine is going to suck his thumb for much longer," Harvey said, patting Mike's back as the kid got closer to sleep.

"Deal with it, I'm your kid now so you have to suck it up," Mike mumbled.

"I know," Harvey replied simply.

Just as Mike fell asleep, Harvey thought back to what Donna had said. There would be a new bedroom to arrange, holidays, birthdays, school, college… Years of Mike growing up to get back to where he once was.

Harvey was sad about losing his associate, sure, but he would also be lying if he said that he wasn't looking forward to the coming years.

He couldn't wait.

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><p><strong>So... yeah. Hope you're looking forward to the different chapters - I know I am :D They won't be in chronological order and will be more like oneshots than anything. Hope you will enjoy them though :) Please review if you think you're going to keep reading :)<strong>

**Oh, and make sure you read _CuppaChar's _sort of sequel to 'Crayons' - it's called 'Growing up is hard to do, letting go is harder'; it's quite amazing :) **


	2. Attack Of Anxiety

**You know I love you guys, right? Seriously, thank you all so much for all your kind words - I'm seriously over the moon that you all like it :D I hope I don't disappoint with future chapters :) Also, I apologise about anything to do with official board of education stuff - poetic licence? :)**

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><p>Harvey wanted to tear his hair out. Literally. He would happily go as bald as Louis if it meant he wouldn't have to sit and try and feign indifferent ignorance to the screaming fit that was being carried out in the room next door.<p>

Why did he think that this parenting thing would be easy? Why was he stupid enough to assume that?

And why had he been under the impression that everything would go fine? That Mike would be an eternal ray of sunshine until he went to college? He guessed that everyone was entitled to bad days, but Mike had been having a bad _week_.

First there was the fact that his Gram had been planning on coming to stay with them for the weekend. Mike had been so excited. He told Harvey he couldn't remember the last time that had happened - she'd been in the care home for so long he could only have day visit. He had bounced around as Harvey changed the sheets of his bed and also of Mike's - he had been planning on letting Mrs Ross sleep in Mike's bed and then for he and Mike to double up in his own.

But then the doctor called and had told him that unfortunately, Mrs Ross just wasn't well enough to be away from the care home. Harvey's heart had fluttered wildly at that but they assured him that she wasn't in any danger; she just wasn't well enough.

That had been a fun conversation to have with Mike.

And then only the day after, when he was still in the world's foulest mood and even Harvey was tiptoeing around him, he was informed by Jessica that anything he tried to help Harvey with they couldn't use in court because he was no longer a registered lawyer (Harvey couldn't help but chuckle at this statement). He had started to rage - and Harvey had been out; only for a few minutes so he could run to the corner shop - and when he came back he found Mike's whole room in total disarray with the boy in question breathing heavily, stood in the middle of the carnage, his fists clutched and shaking while tears ran down his face.

Harvey couldn't be mad at him then. He just couldn't. Not when he saw how agitated the kid was. All he had done was sadly pick him up and let him cry it all out on his shoulder.

He'd thought that might be the end of the shit storm that Mike had to endure for a few years now - kids were supposed to have it easy, weren't they? - but unfortunately it wasn't.

Three days after this, Donna had come to him looking pretty grim faced and said she had a gentleman waiting from the education board. They wanted to know why they had a Michael James Specter in their books and why he hadn't been registered to any sort of daycare or kindergarten.

Harvey had frowned but welcomed them into his office. He watched the two men. One had slicked back, greasy hair while the other worse glasses. Harvey was immediately suspicious - he knew very well what several codes said regarding children in education and smelt a rat. "Mike," he said. "Go talk to Donna for a bit, okay?" Mike had looked up from where he had been chewing his thumb, reading 'The Hobbit' and spotted the men who were now regarding him. He quickly marked his page and left, clutching onto Donna's leg and watching in some worry through the glass wall.

"Mr Specter, we're just curious to know how you're educating your son - it was brought to our attention his mother recently died?" The one with glasses asked, trying and failing to look sympathetic.

"Yes," Harvey said guardedly. "I've got sole custody - can I ask _how _this was brought to your attention?"

"When are you planning on sending Michael to school?" The greasy haired one asked, ignoring his question.

"Not until he's 5. Why?"

"He's no doubt in shock from his mother's death - we have to go through protocol with you regarding him socialising with other children - "

"Sorry, who are you?" Harvey snarled, standing up. "Because you have _no _business telling me how to deal with my son. You're not from the education authority because I know for a fact they would not be sent to a grieving family to say a child needs to be sent to preschool. So why are you here?"

The one with glasses shifted uncomfortably. "Mr Specter, we understand - "

"Donna, call security," Harvey said, knowing full well she would have been listening. He saw her nod and pick Mike up, holding him securely on her hip, as if there was the risk of these strangers suddenly grabbing him and running.

"Please, Mr Specter - "

"You have two seconds to explain or I'll have you charged with impersonating federal officers," Harvey told them.

"Mr Specter, we _are _from the Education board - we were sent here by an anonymous tip!"

Harvey raised an eyebrow. "Saying what?"

"Your son, the tip told us he's gifted - very gifted; Mr Specter we don't want this mind to go to waste, if you'll just let us _test _him - "

"No," Harvey replied straight away. "You're not testing him. He's had a difficult enough life as it is, and he is now going to have a normal one - without tests and being in gifted classes. If he or myself wishes for him to be in them then you'll be notified. Now get out of my office."

The fire in his eyes was so fierce the men quickly left, only glancing at Mike once as they scurried past Donna, who Harvey knew wouldn't let them get anywhere _near _the kid. She had let Mike back into the office and he bit his lip, looking worried as Harvey paced slightly.

"Are you okay?" Mike asked, balling his fists up in the sleeves of his sweatshirt. Harvey stopped pacing and gave him a small smile, picking him up reassuringly.

"I'm fine," Harvey replied. "I bet I know who their 'anonymous tip' was," he growled.

"Who?" Mike asked. "And why would they do it? Are they trying to take me away?" He whimpered, causing Harvey to jog him on his hip.

"I'd like to see them try, wouldn't you?" He asked. "Don't worry about it. I'm not going to send you anywhere. Unless you want to go into 'gifted classes'?" He asked.

Mike shrugged. "It would be nice - I'd be seen as like, the smartest kid ever. But it's irrelevant, right?" Mike said quickly. "'Cause you're not going to send me to school or anything, right?"

Harvey was silent for a minute. He knew he had to send Mike to school when he got older - but it would be a waste of time. The kid would be smarter than the teachers. "Harvey?" Mike asked quietly. "You're not, right?"

"3 year olds don't go to school anyway," Harvey muttered, quickly dodging the question. "Stay here," he suddenly said, putting Mike back where he had been sat with his book.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to have a little chat with Louis."

* * *

><p>It had turned out that Louis <em>had <em>been the anonymous tip - and although Harvey had been ready to throw him out of the window - Louis' motives had somehow made sense to him afterwards.

"Harvey, you need to do _something _with him, you can't keep bringing him into work. He needs other company - kids can't just hang around with adults. And you'll just be letting his brain go to waste if you _didn't _let him go onto some sort of accelerated programme. Don't mistake this for worrying about him - I just don't think you should be bringing a child into our work environment."

Harvey had been confused and oddly touched by Louis' 'gesture'. It also got him thinking - Mike's brain _would _go to waste. Whilst he was perfectly happy reading through law journals and any work Harvey brought him, he couldn't continue to do that. He was getting nothing out of it, none of the credit for a case...

Harvey had talked with Donna afterwards and she had actually agreed with Louis. Harvey should send Mike to preschool - just to see how he likes it. It would talk pressure off Harvey at work; he swore his blood pressure had sky rocketed in the few weeks he was looking after the kid at the office.

So he had decided to take these findings to Mike.

* * *

><p>It had been a cold night and Harvey had been mulling over a file on his couch. The TV was on low and he was vaguely aware of the sound of toys in Mike's room (the kid could argue all he wanted; he <em>loved <em>having a legitimate excuse to play all day). He heard the noises die down and soon there was the sound of small feet padding into the living room.

"Harvey?" He said in a quiet voice that always made Harvey's heart sore somewhat (quiet voice meant close to sleeping).

"Yeah, kiddo?" Harvey answered in an equally quiet voice - he always toned his voice down whenever Mike was like this, hoping it would help in coaxing him to sleep.

"What did Louis say?"

Harvey turned to look at him and saw him blinking slightly, holding Harvey-bear (brought out of storage from Mike's old apartment) in both arms. He reached down and pulled Mike onto his lap, pushing the files aside in favour of the small boy. "He thinks your brain'll go to waste if you go to an ordinary school."

Mike frowned. "That was nice of him. But it doesn't matter," he quickly added. "Because I'm not going to school at all. Right?"

Harvey winced. "I think we should give it a try."

"What?" Mike shot out of his sleepy daze. "What do you mean? I don't _need _to go to school, I'm a _lawyer_!"

"You're technically not," Harvey informed him, although this was apparently the wrong thing to say because Mike hastily pulled himself out of Harvey's arms and lap.

"Harvey, you can't send me to school!" He yelled. "I won't go!"

"Inside voice, Mike," Harvey reminded him. If anything, this made Mike louder.

"I'm not going!" He insisted. "Anyway, it's not for a few years - you'll have realised by then."

"Donna and I agreed on sending you to a preschool to see what you thought of it," Harvey said, hoping to stun Mike into silence.

He succeeded.

For a few moments.

Mike twisted on his heel and stormed to his room, slamming the door behind him. Harvey heard him ranting loudly, crying and screaming. He caught phrases like 'idiotic' and 'won't work' and 'hate you' and more, but he decided to just wait it out.

Mike would give up eventually.

* * *

><p>He hadn't, and so it was that Harvey was sat on his couch, trying to ignore the yells from the other room. Why had he agreed to this parenting lark again? He had read the fine print in the documents he had signed, but maybe there was some sort of waver or clause to get him out of it and send Mike to go live with someone else.<p>

He immediately hated himself for that thought.

So what if Mike was having a tantrum? Harvey had dealt with worse clients than an angry toddler.

Sure, he wasn't exactly Father of the Year quality yet, but he wasn't that bad. He knew how to handle it.

He got up from the couch and opened Mike's door, glad that it hadn't been completely trashed like it had before. Instead, Mike was just lying underneath underneath his bed - something Harvey found very bizarre as the kid was scared of the underside of his bed. He was drumming his heels and crying loudly, still yelling all sorts of incoherent things.

"You know the neighbours have probably already called the cops," Harvey remarked, taking a seat on the bed. "They'll think you're being murdered."

"Don't care!" Mike wailed, refusing to come out from underneath the bed.

"Why are you so against going to school?" Harvey asked, hoping if he got the kid talking, then he would no longer be yelling.

"I don't _want _to go!" Mike cried in reply. There was a shuddering breath from underneath the bed and when he continued, Harvey was glad to hear he was slightly quieter than he had been before. "They'll all be idiotic and I won't be able to talk to anyone and I want to stay with _you_!"

Ah.

Harvey seemed to have gotten to the crux of the matter.

All the time that Mike had been like this, Harvey had been there. On those rare occasions that Donna had been there to babysit, Mike hadn't minded that much, but was still nervous with Harvey being gone. And he hadn't been socialising with other kids like any other 3 year old would have been. He'd been staying close to adults - as was his right, Harvey secretly thought; at least he'd get decent conversation - and so would always have Harvey or Donna as his rock of stability.

And now he was being sent away to spend an entire day with other toddlers away from Harvey, and apparently he didn't like that idea at all.

"Mike - " Harvey tried to start talking, but Mike launched himself out from underneath the bed and wrapped his arms around Harvey's legs, burying his face in his suit pants.

"You're not supposed to send me away! I have to stay by _you_! You're my _daddy_, you can't just _leave _me!" And then Mike was back to incoherent babbling and sobbing. Harvey had to push down the lump in his throat and picked Mike up, holding him close and rubbing his back, rocking gently from side to side, resting his cheek on the top of Mike's hair as the small boy cried onto his shoulder.

"I'm not leaving you," he said in a hushed voice. "It's just for a few hours each day to see what you think. I won't leave you there - I..." Harvey swallowed slightly. "I _am _your dad, and I _won't _leave you - I promise."

Harvey pressed a kiss in the tufts of blonde hair and continued rocking, thinking back to what Mike had been saying. His first father had 'left', dying early on in Mike's life and now the kid was just worried about being abandoned. Especially when 'being abandoned' translated to 'parent dying'.

"I don't want to go!" Mike wailed.

"I know," Harvey whispered. "I know you don't. But will you please do me this favour? Go for one day. Just one day - and if you truly hate it, I won't bring it up again for a while, okay? Will you do that?"

Mike sniffed and wiped his nose on Harvey's shoulder, feeling the man shudder slightly as he did so. "Get used to it," he muttered darkly. "Kids are messy," he soon turned morose once more and gave a small sob. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "_Please _don't put me in time out."

Harvey smirked. He was glad that the punishment worked so well - he could never have resorted to swatting the kid on the backside, no matter how frustrated he was. He rubbed Mike's back again. "I can't just let your behaviour slide, kiddo."

"But I don't want a time out!" He wailed, falling into tears once more. Harvey sighed and he checked his watch as he rubbed Mike's back - he had a feeling he wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight.

"C'mon," he murmured, standing up and walking into the main room. He paced for a while, walking in endless circles around the condo as he tried to calm Mike down. The way Mike was sobbing was making Harvey want to cry - he sounded _so _miserable, and nothing Harvey was doing seemed to be working. He tried putting a movie on and sitting down on the couch but Mike wouldn't settle. He tried reading to him but the kid wouldn't listen, and just sobbed throughout.

"Come on, Mike," Harvey said in a semi-desperate tone. "Surely you can tell by now you're not getting a time out. Just work with me, okay?" He moved towards the kitchen and managed to get a mug from a cupboard while he held the toddler, before pouring milk into it. He put it in the microwave and continued jogging Mike up and down slightly and shushing him. Eventually the microwave stopped and Harvey carefully pulled the mug out, adding sugar to the warm milk and stirring it. He transferred it over to a sippy-cup that Mike hated (but admitted he needed occasionally) and sat on the couch.

He moved Mike over to one knee and managed to get him to grip the cup. "Drink," Harvey said. Mike gave a large sniff and a whimper and gazed up at Harvey with watery eyes. "C'mon, kiddo," Harvey said softly. "I know you like it."

Mike slowly sipped a tiny bit of the warm milk and rested himself on Harvey, assuming the man would hold him steady. He did so, and kept up the gentle rocking movement he'd been doing so much of, he now felt convinced he was on a boat. He kept making small shushing sounds as well, pleased that Mike was now drinking and no longer crying.

When he was about half way down the drink, Mike put it to one side, wiping at his face. Harvey brushed away the tear tracks with his thumbs and positioned Mike so that he was effectively lying over Harvey's lap, his head comfortably nestled in the crease of Harvey's elbow.

"It's really late," Harvey said in a quiet voice.

"I know," Mike murmured.

"I'm in the office tomorrow," Harvey reminded him, but then saw Mike's lip wobble and tears threaten to break out once more. "But I guess I can cancel my meetings," he quickly said. "How about we do something tomorrow?" He suggested, spurred on by Mike's eyes lighting up slightly.

"Like what?" He asked in a wavering voice, sucking his thumb tiredly.

"I don't know," Harvey murmured, rubbing Mike's stomach softly. Mike moved his thumb from his mouth and took the cup back, drinking from it once more. The flat was in blessed silence as Mike drank, his eyes drooping closed as he was soothed by the warm drink and the constant motions of Harvey's hand.

When he had finished Harvey slowly stood up, putting the cup by the sink in the kitchen. He walked towards Mike's bedroom slowly, speaking nonsense whenever Mike said something. "I'm sorry, Harvey..."

"Shh... it's alright - you're just tired... Go to sleep."

"I didn't mean to scream so much..."

"Such a sleepy boy... Close your eyes..."

"I guess I can try daycare for a day..."

Harvey was placing him in bed as he said this, just nodding as he undressed the toddler and redressed him in pyjamas, pulling the covers over him. "Go to sleep, Mikey," Harvey whispered, running his hand through Mike's hair once.

"Night night, Daddy," he murmured, his thumb finding its way to his mouth with considerable ease. Harvey smiled and placed a kiss on his forehead, ruffling his hair slightly before withdrawing from the room, leaving the door open and a night light on so that the shadows of stars fell over the walls.

* * *

><p>Harvey woke up the next morning still wearing his suit. He groaned slightly as he rolled over in bed. It had been <em>very <em>late when he finally managed to get Mike settled and asleep, and he had just collapsed onto his bed afterwards. He pushed himself up, hoping he hadn't permanently wrinkled the suit, and got out of bed, taking the suit off to have a shower.

He was about to dress in a fresh suit before remembering his promise to Mike last night. Instead he dressed in some jeans and a shirt and made his way to the kitchen to find that Mike wasn't up. He wasn't surprised, considering how late it had been when he had finally fallen asleep.

Harvey was waiting for his coffee to boil as Mike emerged from his room. He was dragging Harvey the sea lion by the flipper along the floor and tugged on the bottom of Harvey's shirt with his spare hand, indicating he wanted a lift up. Harvey did so, holding him on his hip as he carefully took his cup of coffee and placed it on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"What are we doing today?" Mike asked, his voice quiet and scratchy from the crying last night and the time of the morning.

"We're going to daycare," Harvey said carefully. Feeling Mike freeze, he quickly added; "_We _being the operative word. We're both going to go and see what it's like, okay? The whole session, I'll be there. And if you like it, we can go again. Okay?" He watched Mike as the small boy processed this.

"Okay," he said, not noticing Harvey's relieved sigh. "And you'll definitely be there for it all?" Mike asked, chewing on his thumb.

"I promise I will be," Harvey said. "Now - what do you want for breakfast?"

* * *

><p>The door to the daycare seemed much more scary than it should have been, Mike realised, clutching onto Harvey's hand as tightly as physically possible. Harvey didn't say anything about it, and simply squeezed Mike's hand ever so slightly.<p>

He wouldn't admit it, but he was just as nervous as Mike. What if the kid didn't like it? Harvey couldn't force him to go again, and he couldn't keep bringing Mike to the office either. It was either this or call a sitter for the day - and while sure, Harvey did have a _lot _of money, he didn't want to pay for an expensive babysitter to come round every day (he knew it would be expensive because it would only be the best he would trust to look after his son _and dear lord did he just refer to Mike as his son? And did he actually like the sound of it?_)

"Don't want to go," Mike muttered, casting a gaze around the room where children played and parents sat and drank coffee and talked.

"C'mon," Harvey said, pulling him to the reception. "Hi, my name's Harvey Specter, this is my son Mike," Harvey flashed the receptionist a winning smile and she seemed to melt slightly, much to Mike's disdain. "This is the drop in session, isn't it?"

"Yes it is," she smiled at him. "I'm Becky, I'll be the group leader today - if you want to sign up to other sessions just come see me."

"I will, thank you," Harvey gave her another smile and took Mike round to the playing area, taking a seat. As he expected, Mike clung to his legs and refused to go anywhere. "Mike, you think I want to be sat with all these parents?" Harvey asked him in a low voice, looking at a man who was reading a trashy magazine and glancing over at his son occasionally, and a woman who was twirling her wedding ring and glancing up at him suggestively.

Mike glanced around as well, shrugging. "You need to get over this little bout of separation anxiety," Harvey informed him, ruffling his hair. "Go socialise. I'll be right here, okay?"

Mike's lip wobbled but he nodded, thinking of how he felt on his first day of work. That had been nerve-wracking too. "Okay," he whispered. Harvey patted his head proudly and gently pushed him into the fray.

Mike kept glancing back at Harvey but soon was drawn into a game with other kids. Harvey had no idea what they were playing, but it apparently made sense to Mike, which is all that mattered. Harvey watched as Mike interacted and leant back slightly. The kid even smiled a few times. He knew it had been nothing to worry about - like those times before with a playground and the Halloween party at the firm and Mike had been scared of talking to other kids - and it all turned out alright.

His phone went off and he glanced at Mike again before answering, keeping his eyes trained on the toddler as he talked. "Hello?"

_"Mind telling me why you took the day off but didn't feel it necessary to tell me?" _Donna's snippy voice filtered through the phone.

"I told Mike about the daycare last night," Harvey explained.

There was a beat of silence down the phone.

_"Oh,"_ Donna said simply. _"I'm guessing he didn't take it well."_

"It took me hours to calm him down," Harvey said. "It got to about 2 in the morning and he finally fell asleep."

_"Wow," _Donna whistled. _"So you just woke up late?" _The silence (plus the fact that she's Donna) told her everything she needed to know. _"You caved didn't you? You told him you'd stay with him today."_

"He was upset, Donna," he reminded her. "I couldn't just leave him after he'd been so upset."

_"You're such a daddy," _Donna chuckled. Before all this, Harvey would have bristled at this statement. Now however, he found himself silently questioning what was bad about that. _"So where are you now?" _

"I brought him to the daycare we talked about," Harvey said.

_"And he's not upset?"_

"He's playing with the other kids," Harvey told her, giving a small smile as Mike found a puzzle and managed to complete it within 10 seconds.

_"Really?"_

"No, Donna, I'm just imagining the whole thing," he sniped, rolling his eyes. Just at that moment the woman at the desk, Becky, came over and clapped her hands.

"We have two things for you to try," she announced to the room. "But you can only choose one. But if you come again, you can do the other - okay?" She beamed. "Either you come over here and listen to a story or we have paints set up for you to play with - only if your parents help."

She let the kids decide and soon there was an even split of ones wanting to paint and ones wanting to hear a story. Mike looked over at Harvey, looking slightly worried. Harvey frowned, prompting Mike to rush over.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I don't know which one to do," he murmured, looking genuinely upset. Harvey quickly intervened, knowing how emotional the kid was right now.

"How about you listen to the story," he suggested. "And then we can come again a different day when you're in clothes more suited for painting."

Mike seemed to see the logic in this and nodded, shyly leaving Harvey's side to go sit with everyone else and listen.

_"I think I'm going to pass out, you two are _that_ adorable_," Harvey forgot he still had the phone next to his ear, and jumped when Donna started talking. _"Would you like me to schedule another session at the daycare?" _She asked.

"Yeah," Harvey replied, watching Mike engrossed in the story. "I don't think he'll mind."

_"And are you going with him?" _She asked.

"Yeah," Harvey said again. "The kid's barely comfortable with me leaving the room right now."

_"Give him time," _she said wisely. _"He'll just need to slowly adjust to not being in your company. How about you call Nick down for a few days to babysit - then you can go out and Mike'll get used to the idea."_

"Maybe," Harvey mused. "I'll be coming in tomorrow," he informed her.

_"With Mike?" _She asked.

"I'll have to bring him," he said. "I do _not _want a repeat of last night's meltdown."

_"Was it really that bad?" _She asked in a soft voice.

"It was bad," he told her grimly.

_"Well just make sure he has a nap!" _She said.

"Donna, I know how this works now," he replied. "I'm capable of keeping the kid alive for a while."

_"Well then I'll leave you to it," _she said, and Harvey could swear she was smirking. _"I'll see you tomorrow, Harvey."_

"Bye, Donna," he answered, putting the phone back in his pocket. He watched as the story seemed to have ended, and the kids were allowed to pick out their own books. Mike seemed to have doubled up with another kid and they were trying to find the longest one by the looks of it.

Harvey smiled.

That's his boy.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Like I said, these chapters will just be random oneshots - the next one might be Mike at college for all I know... Hope you enjoyed it - please review as amazingly as you did before?**


	3. Donna, Interrupted

**Thanks guys, again for the amazing reviews :) And about the order of the chapters - there is none. Like I said; if this one were to be a college-age Mike (which it's not) then it doesn't mean I'll never have another toddler one. It's just how I'm feeling and what scenario I want to write. Okay? So don't panic if there is grown up!Mike because the majority of them will no doubt be toddler cause I find it too adorable :P**

**Mostly because I can do adorable falling asleep exchanges that are too cute to pass up XD**

**Warning: this chapter has no relevance at all to any patch in mini!Mike's life and is simply here to make teeth fall out.**

* * *

><p>Harvey eased off his jacket and hung it up as he came into the apartment. It wasn't quite late; a dusky hue was starting to appear in the city and filter through the windows of his balcony but to Harvey's now permanent parent clock; it was quite late. He heard muffled giggles from somewhere and couldn't help but frown and feel slightly wary.<p>

His brother Nick had been commissioned to babysit while Harvey had a heavy workload - as much as Donna tried to get him to either take the work home or hire a professional, Harvey bristled at both the ideas. If he brought work home he wouldn't be able to pay any attention to Mike and the kid practically needed eyes on him 24-7. And Harvey wouldn't trust someone he'd never met to look after Mike - and he knew Mike would take a while to build up trust with someone neither of them knew.

So he had called Nick down - who was only too happy to stay in his brother's very nice condo when in return all he had to do was make sure Mike was fed and occupied.

And apparently he had done this very well.

Harvey walked into the main living area and found what was effectively a fort set up. He had no idea where they had gotten the sticks necessary to prop the sheets up but he could just make out the silhouettes of his brother and son as they giggled about whatever the hell it was they were doing.

Harvey placed his briefcase down on a chair and knelt to open the flaps of the sheets. "Permission to enter the fort?"

He was barrelled over by Mike as the toddler leapt at him excitedly, happy to have him home. "Harvey! You're back! I missed you! How was work? Have you finished now? Does that mean you can stay here?"

Harvey managed to pull himself back to his feet whilst holding the cuddly boy and glared at Nick. "What?" His brother asked.

"How much sugar have you given him?"

"Not that much!" Nick protested, even as Mike was practically shaking in Harvey's arms. "Well... not as much as you wouldn't want him to have."

"I wouldn't want him to have any," Harvey reminded him. "You know how hard it'll be to get him to sleep?"

"That's why it's better to be an Uncle," Nick reminded him with an innocent beam. "You can do whatever and then just give the kid back afterwards. Speaking of, I should really go - "

"Nope," Harvey said, clapping a spare hand on Nick's shoulder as he gave a predatory smile. "You can help me calm him down and get ready for bed."

"No, I should probably leave soon, I have to be - " Nick's words were cut off as Harvey placed Mike in his arms.

"I'm going to get changed," he told Nick sternly. "When I get back, that fort is to be gone and that kid," Mike giggled and chewed on his own fist, "is to be calm. Got it?"

"Harvey, I don't know how to calm kids down!" Nick said in a panicked voice.

"Well then you'd better learn quickly shouldn't you?" Harvey replied.

"Where are you going?" Mike gave a wail.

"I'm just going to get changed out of my suit," he promised Mike.

"And brush your hair?"

"And brush my hair," Harvey agreed, chucking Mike under the chin.

"Why does he want you to brush your hair?" Nick asked, struggling to keep Mike in his arms as Harvey got further away from them.

"He doesn't like it when my hair's styled," Harvey explained, taking his tie off. "Doesn't look like me, apparently."

"Doesn't look like Daddy," Mike agreed, nodding seriously before wiggling out of Nick's arms.

"Hey!" Nick cried out, going to grab for him but missed. He watched as Mike scampered into Harvey's room, crashing into the now jeans clad legs as Harvey was pulling a black woollen shirt on. Nick winced, getting ready for the explosion, but all that happened was that Harvey sighed and waited until he had gotten his shirt on before picking Mike up, rubbing at his back as the kid wiggled in his arms. Nick gave Harvey an innocent grin as he came back out frowning.

"Didn't I say that the tent had to come down?" Harvey asked, raising an eyebrow at Nick who quickly moved towards his and Mike's fort.

"No!" Mike whined in protest. "Please?"

"Please what?" Harvey asked, making sure that Mike always spoke in coherent sentences.

"Please can I keep it up?" He asked, looking up at Harvey with large, dewy eyes. Harvey sighed but nodded at Nick, ignoring the smug grin on his little brother's face.

"C'mon, sport," Harvey muttered. "Let's try and get rid of whatever the hell it was that Uncle Nick fed you. You hungry?" Mike nodded eagerly. "Good. I'll make pasta - how about you have a drink?"

"Juice?" Mike questioned happily.

"Nope, but I hear that water's nice," Harvey replied, grabbing a plastic cup and pouring some water into it.

"I don't want water," Mike whined, paddling his little hands on Harvey's chest uselessly. Harvey caught them effortlessly and glared more at Nick.

"Hey, I wasn't the one to teach your kid to hit - that's just bad parenting right there," Nick smirked at Harvey. "But, uh - " He hastily started clearing away some of the mess from around the fort as Harvey continued to glare, "you need to drink water, Mike - it keeps you hydrated. Although not too much," Nick said, looking pensive. "Then you might pee the bed."

Mike blushed bright red and turned his head away from Nick, pushing his face into Harvey's neck.

"Thank you. So much," Harvey deadpanned to his brother. "Now he probably won't drink anything."

"Hey, I'm being helpful," Nick argued. "Now you won't have to change the sheets if he does!"

"I don't anyway," Mike mumbled, causing Harvey to rub his back soothingly.

"I know... Uncle Nick's just trying and failing to be funny," Harvey reassured him. "He might find himself being in charge of a bath tonight if he doesn't watch out."

"Come on, Harvey - I've been talking to the kid all day like this and he didn't mind!"

"Because he was hopped up on sugar," Harvey reminded him, bringing some pasta to the boil effortlessly as he held Mike on his hip and stirred with one hand. "And now he's slowly coming down."

"Well at least he's coming down," Nick reminded him, grinning.

Harvey hummed in agreement before he was forced to put Mike down in order to prepare the food. And at that moment in time his cell rang as well. Cursing his bad luck he flipped his middle finger to his little brother as he laughed at Harvey trying to answer his phone whilst holding a boiling hot pan and trying to keep Mike away by gently pushing him with his leg.

* * *

><p>Donna was just finishing working out Harvey's schedule for the next day. Just because he got to go home early because he had the excuse of a child didn't mean she could do the same. She had just stood up when she realised she had to call him and tell him about a change to his meeting times. Hoping he wasn't trying to do anything important, she dialled and waited.<p>

_"Hello?"_

Huh. He sounded weird. Sort of out of breath.

"Harvey?" Donna questioned, because it wasn't like her boss to sound flustered.

_"Donna... what do you - dammit - what's up?"_

"Are you okay?" She heard a small splash.

_"I'm fine, just trying to - no, Mikey, don't stand in that puddle, it's hot - go over to Uncle Nick, okay? I'm just trying to do three things at once."_

"And you can't do that?" She asked, preening that _she_ could - although she was wondering what was happening down the other end of the phone.

_"Of course I can but when it involves making pasta, trying to calm a hyper toddler down and answer a phone - it's a little harder than it should - Nick, do _not _wind him up again!"_

She now desperately wished she could be watching the carnage of the scene unfolding at the other end. "I was just calling to tell you - "

_"Yeah, Mike, I can see it from here - yeah, I'll look at it properly in a minute, okay? Sorry, Donna - what were you saying?"_

"One of your meetings tomorrow - "

_"Mike, wait, okay? I'm trying to - well yeah, you might want to talk to Daddy, but Daddy's trying to talk to Donna, okay? I'll be finished in a minute. Sorry, Donna."_

_"_I've had to reschedule with - "

_"Mike, come get your food - what? No, you can't talk to Donna... Because I am. No. Now eat. Which meeting?"_

"Mr Charleston had to - "

_"No, Mikey you just... Nick will you make sure he doesn't spill anything else? Because I said so! Thank you. What's wrong with Mr Charleston?"_

"He's had to go visit his sister - "

_"Mike if I see any more of that go on the floor purposefully - no, Nick that's not exactly helping. Is his sister alright?"_

"She slipped at home and broke her - "

_"You've finished? All of it? Good boy. No, you still can't talk to her... Go get your pyjamas on. What did she break?"_

"Her leg, so she needs someone to look after her kids - "

A small crash resounded on the other end of the phone. _"It's alright, kiddo - you just tripped. It's okay," _there was a scrabbling at the other end and a bit of wailing. Harvey sighed. _"Donna, can I call you back?"_

Harvey sounded so frazzled that Donna almost took pity on him.

But then she remembered how much he interrupted her over the phone.

"I'll come round," she said brightly. "You sound like you need some help."

Harvey groaned and she hung up, quickly packing up her things so she could go over to Harvey's.

He should be thanking her - it sounded as if he had needed back up for a lot of that conversation and Nick hadn't exactly been the best help. But she knew he would secretly count it as a curse. She didn't know what he was expecting - it wasn't as if she would look down on him as being a bad father. Completely the opposite, she thought he was a wonderful father. But - like in most aspects of his life - he would be well and truly lost without her.

* * *

><p>She simply walked through the door when she got there. She had been expecting to see carnage - fires, blood, Harvey having a mental breakdown - instead it was somewhat calm. Except there was a scuffle ensuing in the living room. She walked in and raised an eyebrow. Mike was sucking his thumb tiredly and watching as Harvey and Nick were trying to pin each other down on the floor. Donna pulled Mike into her arms and rocked him gently.<p>

"Hey, sweetie," she said in a calm voice. "What's happening?"

"Nick taped over one of Harvey's baseball games," Mike explained tiredly. "And then he stole a signed ball and wouldn't give it back."

"Children," she tutted, nudging at a leg with her shoe. The leg instantly froze and both men turned to look at her.

"Donna!" Nick leapt up, pushing Harvey aside so he could smile flirtatiously at her. "How's my favourite goddess been?"

"She's been fine," Donna replied. "Although I haven't had an offering from you in a while - you don't want your crops to die, do you?"

"I'm sorry," he said humbly. "I'll give you one first thing in the morning - my brother won't let me leave till the munchkin's asleep."

Mike gave a whine in response and Harvey quickly took him from Donna's arms, shushing him. "Donna - why did you come round?"

"Well I thought you'd need a hand - and clearly I was right... But then, when aren't I?" She smiled at him and held her hand out to Nick. "Ball. Now." Nick wilted but shyly handed over the baseball he had stolen from Harvey. "Do I really need to issue time outs?"

Mike giggled happily. "Yes! Please, _please _give Harvey a time out!"

"Careful, kiddo," Harvey said. "You might find_ yourself_ in a time out. Now - are you ready for bed?" Mike shook his head. "No?" He asked. "That's strange - because I seem to remember setting _now _as your bedtime. And it can't be because you didn't listen to me..."

Mike giggled slightly and gazed up at Harvey with wide eyes. "Is Nick staying over?" Both brothers quickly replied in the negative at the same time. "Oh..." Mike whined.

"C'mon, champ," Nick said, pulling Mike from Harvey's arms. "How about we go see what destruction we can bring onto your room while Donna talks to your dad," he whisked Mike into his room before he could protest.

"Wow, super uncle," Donna smiled.

"Yeah - he has his moments," Harvey agreed gruffly. He started to clear up the living room, moving toys and books into baskets that slotted neatly underneath the coffee table.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Donna piped up as she was tidying _inside _the fort.

"Whenever I've said 'no', that's never stopped you before," Harvey pointed out, raising an eyebrow at a broken toy and putting it to one side to fix.

Donna gave a small smile. "Right. How often does he call you 'Harvey'?" She asked.

Harvey turned around, an unreadable expression on his face. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it's just - sometimes I've heard the word 'daddy'. But most of the time it's Harvey. He's been your son for nearly a year now. Why is he still calling you by your name?"

"Because I've told him to just call me whatever he feels comfortable with," Harvey said in a way that made it sound like it should be obvious. "Sometimes it's 'daddy'... Sometimes it's not."

"Don't you mind?" Donna prodded. "That he sometimes swaps from being so familiar and close?"

"Donna, where is this coming from?" Harvey asked, confused, just as a small boy ran back out from his room.

"Daddy - Nick's trying to put me to bed!" Mike said in a tattle-tail kind of voice.

Harvey gave a small smile. "Is he? What's wrong with that?"

"Harvey!" Mike whined. He pulled at Harvey's arms impatiently. "_You're _supposed to put me to bed. Not Nick!"

"Hey!" Nick huffed, affronted as he ambled back out of Mike's room. "I was trying to do you a favour!"

"I know you were, Nicky," Harvey gave him a smile. "But _someone _can be a brat if things aren't done the way he wants," Mike pouted at him and started sucking his thumb. "Come on," Harvey said. "Say good night to Donna. It's bedtime."

"I don't want to go to bed," Mike frowned, his lip wobbling.

"Yes you do," Harvey replied. "Donna?"

She instantly took over, sliding Mike out of Harvey's arms and starting to rock him gently. "Good night, sweetie," she whispered.

Mike laid his head on her shoulder tiredly. "You're not putting me to bed," he said in a small voice, trying half heartedly to get back to Harvey.

She jogged him up slightly. "Hey, I'll get you back to your daddy in a second - can't I say goodnight?"

"Night, Donna," he whispered from around his thumb. Donna knew this was as good as she was going to get and passed him back to Harvey.

"Now Uncle Nick," Harvey said, turning towards his brother. Mike's eyes were closing but he managed to open them and gave a tired smile from behind his thumb and wiggled a few fingers as a goodbye. He closed his eyes again and let his head loll on Harvey's shoulder. "Okay," Harvey said in a hushed voice, rubbing at Mike's back. "Let's get you to bed. I'll be out in a second," he said to the other two, before turning and going into Mike's room, wondering how one child could get the room so messy.

He placed Mike on the bed and tucked him in, ruffling his hair and kissing his forehead before leaving the room, keeping the door open slightly.

"Well, Harv, as nice as this has been - it's past my bedtime too," Nick told him, yawning.

"You're not driving back, are you?" Harvey asked.

"No I thought I'd get my magic carpet out of the garage," Nick said, putting his jacket on. "You saw my bike out there by your fancy building didn't you?"

"You're not motorbiking back to yours if you're tired," Harvey decreed, pulling out some money. "Get a cab."

"Harvey that'll cost way too much," Nick protested even as Harvey shoved money into his fist.

"Think of it as payment for looking after Mike for me," Harvey told him.

"Harv, you know I'd do that for free," Nick told him seriously. "How about I just camp out here for the night? You got some spare blankets?"

"I might have some somewhere," Harvey replied. "Although be ready for a four year old to jump on you at about... half past four in the morning."

"I'll just pretend to be dead, that'll get him off quickly," Nick mused, taking his jacket back off.

"You're not scarring my son beyond belief," Harvey told him sternly.

"Boys," Donna said in her motherly voice. "Enough. You don't want to wake Mike up. Harvey - don't forget about your meeting tomorrow."

"I won't," he promised.

"Will you be bringing Mike in with you?" She asked.

"I've suddenly acquired a babysitter for an extra day apparently," Harvey said, pointing to Nick who was trying to get comfortable on the couch.

Donna smiled. "Alright. See you tomorrow, Harvey."

"Bye."

She let herself out and Harvey turned to his brother. "Comfortable?"

"No."

"Shame."

* * *

><p>Harvey got up from where he had been quickly finishing some paperwork at the table. "Nicky, I'm going to bed. You okay?" He got a grunt in reply and smiled, shaking his head. He went to do his usual routine of checking on Mike before going to bed and looked into his son's room.<p>

Mike was curled up, clutching and drooling on Harvey-bear as he slept. Harvey went in just to turn the night light on but accidentally stood on something that was hard and sharp and now probably either broken or permanently embedded in his foot. He bit back a curse but managed to stumble, making a small thump as he held himself up on a chest of drawers.

Harvey bit his lip and glanced over at Mike - who unfortunately got woken up, and looked confused and slightly scared. "Hey, hey," Harvey shushed, quickly going over to him and sitting on the side of the bed, carding his fingers through Mike's hair. "It's okay."

"Go 'way..." Mike whined with a small sob.

"It's just me," Harvey said quickly, hoping to avert a sleepless night. It didn't seem like Mike had been having a bad dream - he was more than likely just confused and scared by the sudden noise. "It's just Daddy - go back to sleep, kiddo." Mike gave a whimper and rubbed at his eyes tiredly. "That's right; sleepy boy, huh?" He said in a hushed, calming voice. "Sleepy boy... Go to sleep," Harvey said softly.

"No," Mike whined, although Harvey had an idea that Mike had no idea what was going on. "Daddy... I want... Daddy?"

"It's alright," Harvey shushed him again, letting him crawl in to his arms and lap. "It's okay - Daddy's right here... Go back to sleep." Mike gave another whimper and clutched onto Harvey, burying his face in Harvey's neck. "Shh, shh," Harvey rubbed Mike's back. "Come on, Mikey," he said, jogging Mike up and down in a slightly desperate manner. "Daddies need sleep too."

Thankfully, Mike started to fall asleep again, and Harvey didn't dare move from his spot for another five minutes until he was sure that Mike was dead to the world. He blew out a breath in relief and very slowly placed Mike back down on his bed. He pulled the covers around him and just sat on the corner of the bed, running his hands softly through Mike's hair. The toddler moved slightly and Harvey froze, hoping he wasn't going to wake up again. However, he just moved his thumb to his mouth and gave a small sigh as he started sucking.

Harvey shook his head but made no attempts to pull the thumb away. It was things like this he secretly loved. He was getting better at the whole being outwardly caring thing. He had once even admitted to Donna he thought that Mike was somewhat endearing whilst asleep - Harvey Specter speak for 'My son is the most adorable thing ever when he's sleeping'.

It was also things like this that reminded Harvey just how young Mike was. It was so easy to forget, whenever Mike glanced through the papers he brought back from work or argued with Harvey for an hour straight regarding a clause in a contract like most kids would argue over bath time. But when Mike did things like this; like cry if he was woken suddenly - however frustrating it was - or suck his thumb; Harvey secretly enjoyed the knowledge that Mike would still look to him for affection for a few years still.

And he secretly liked being a Daddy too.

* * *

><p><strong>So yeah - like I said at the start; apologies if teeth fell out. Oh, and just to clarify - these won't be in chronological order. I hope you liked this one - please review? And if you have anything you want to see, don't hesitate to ask :)<strong>


	4. A Stroll In The Park

**Thanks guys, again for the amazing reviews :) This one is nowhere near as light hearted as the others - although I will try my very best to try and instil _some _sort of humour in it :)**

* * *

><p>Mike sat cross legged on Harvey's couch, reading through a heavy law book for fun. He had finished the homework his bemused teachers had set - and to be fair, any teacher would be bemused when being told they'd be getting a new student and opening the door - expecting to find another 16 year old who didn't want to be there, only to find a smiling 6 year old stood there instead.<p>

Although even the 16 year old work was again too easy he found solace in the familiar feeling of being the smartest kid in the grade. Even if they were all 10 years older than him. Teachers kept telling Harvey that Mike should go to a private school and get him tested - and hey, he could even go to college by 8. Harvey simply smiled at them indulgently and replied that he'd consider sending his son to college when he could tie his own shoe laces without help.

Harvey walked into the office and ruffled Mike's hair as he walked past, feeling the kid lean his head back slightly in response to the affection. "Hey, kiddo - find anything interesting?"

"I've already read this one," Mike sighed, pushing himself up off the couch and giving Harvey a hug, standing on his tip toes on the couch to wrap his arms round Harvey's neck. "I'm bored." Harvey smiled at him and used the grip Mike had to pick the kid up. "Daddy!" He whined, struggling ever so slightly to get out of it but secretly liking it.

"What?" Harvey asked, "I was under the impression my _little boy _wanted to be lifted up. My mistake," he grinned as Mike held on tighter. Sure, the kid was now 6 and a lot bigger than he had been at 3 but it still felt like nothing to lift him up.

"I'm not little!" Mike said indignantly.

"Oh, you're not?" Harvey asked, a grin on his face as he walked over to his chair.

"Nope," Mike said firmly. "You measured me against the wall the other day, remember?"

Harvey smiled, remembering well. Mike had pulled at his hand and made him go into the mess that was his room and passed him a pencil, drawing himself up against the wall. Harvey had ticked off a mark just above Mike's head and let the kid grab a tape measure, writing down beside it how tall he was.

And if Donna gave a snide remark about how it was just to keep tabs on if his son was growing up properly or not; well she was very wrong.

Even if Harvey had checked online afterwards and then panicked slightly upon the realisation that Mike was _short _for his age.

Specter men weren't _short for their age_.

Harvey decreed that the internet must be wrong.

"Daddy?"

"Hmm?" Harvey was reading a file with Mike sat on his lap. He had sat down with Mike still in his arms and so had adjusted his hold for Mike to sit very comfortably on his knees as he pulled a folder out.

"I'm bored."

"You've said," Harvey replied, highlighting something in his file.

"Can I go somewhere?" Mike asked, chewing on his thumb as he gazed up at Harvey.

"Like where? Donna's desk? The park? Disneyland? Maybe I can arrange a shuttle to take you to the moon?" Harvey suggested.

"_Can _I go to the park?"

"I'm too busy, Mike," Harvey said regretfully, cursing the fact that his job left him with the options of either bring his son into work or leave him at home with someone who wasn't Harvey.

"Hence why I asked if _I _could go," Mike sniped.

"I'm not letting you go there on your own, Mike," Harvey told him, rubbing his side apologetically as he could practically _hear _the boy pouting miserably.

"Why not? I'm not actually 6, I know what not to do, and - "

"Mike, you might not actually _be_ 6, but you pretty much act like it most of the time," Harvey said, his patience running out because he _had _to get through this file.

"Do not!"

"You need a night light, you suck your thumb, you call me 'daddy', you play with your toys, you - " He was stopped in his list as Mike just got off his lap and stormed out the room. "Mike!" He waited but Mike didn't look back. "Mike!"

The kid just disappeared from his view. Harvey felt like throwing something against the wall. Why had he even done that? Was he really that dense to think that mentioning all of the things that Mike saw as weaknesses was a _good _thing? Those things happened to be the things he loved best about his son.

And Mike didn't even know that. He now thought that Harvey sneered at him for it - he'd effectively broken all of the trust he had worked so hard to earn.

And now his son was missing.

"Harvey?"

He looked up to see Donna stood in his doorway.

"Where's Mike?"

"He..." Harvey couldn't tell her.

"What have you done?"

"What makes you think I've done anything?" He snarled, too frustrated to pull any sort of poker face.

"Because you're sitting here looking like you've just made a little boy cry. Now while that might not actually make you upset, the fact that it was more than likely _your _little boy makes it even worse."

"Donna, I - "

She held up a hand. "I don't want to know what was said, I just want to know why you aren't with him right now."

Harvey stood up, glowering at her. He hated to think that it seemed like Donna was _making _him go find Mike; he had been planning on going anyway - his son could be anywhere.

_His son could be anywhere._

"Donna, I have no idea where he's gone," Harvey said so suddenly that Donna thought she might get whiplash. "He could be anywhere - he could have talked to anyone, he could - "

"Harvey, calm down," Donna said - which he thought was pretty contradictory to what she was saying before. "I'll go check the usual places. You go see Louis and Jessica. Okay? If he's not there, then we'll check CCTV."

Harvey nodded, his heart in his mouth as he realised this wasn't just like all the other times that Mike managed to disappear in the firm. Those other times he had just wandered, feeling incredibly guilty afterwards when Harvey finally found him. This time he was angry and was probably purposefully going somewhere he knew Harvey wouldn't find him.

Harvey got to Louis' office and looked in. The man was in there on his own. "Louis, have you seen Mike?" Harvey got straight to the point, too worried to lead up to the question with some masterful insults.

"No, Harvey," Louis sighed, looking through a brief. "I haven't. How many times is that now that you've lost him?"

"Never mind," Harvey growled, leaving the room to see if Mike had gone to see Jessica. He was still somewhat scared of her, but Harvey had found him in there a few times, just talking or falling asleep on her couch. And she couldn't hide the maternal glee at seeing him, however much she told Harvey that if he wanted to keep his rugrat at the firm, he better look after him properly and not let him burst into her office when she was busy.

Jessica; like Louis, was on her own in the office. "Harvey," she looked up, surprised. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I've lost Mike again," Harvey told her.

"You do seem to have a habit of doing that," she agreed, pressing a speed dial on her office phone. She told CCTV that she wanted footage because 'Harvey's lost the kid again' and looked at Harvey significantly.

"Look, I just - I just need to find him, alright?" Harvey said, sighing. "He's angry this time; I don't know what he'll have done."

"Harvey, every time this happens you 'need to find him'," Jessica reminded him, making quotation marks with her fingers. "And every time he's just wandered and is fine. So just - " she was cut off by her phone ringing. Raising her eyebrows at Harvey she answered.

Harvey felt some of the blood drain from his face as Jessica's face hardened and she hung up the phone. "They said we need to go down there to watch the footage," she said, getting out her cell and dialling.

"Jessica, what's happened?" Harvey asked, but knew enough as he saw her entering 3 digits into her cell.

911.

* * *

><p>Mike kicked at Donna's desk as he left Harvey's office. She fortunately wasn't there, or he might have been killed for that. He dodged some employees who knew him and tried to extend their hands to talk to him and was soon on the side walk outside the firm.<p>

He bit his lip - as angry as he was, he didn't want to break Harvey's number 1 rule - don't leave the building - but he was just so angry at what he'd said.

"Hey, kid," Mike glanced up to see some guy stood in front of him. He was dressed well and clean shaven - he looked quite pleasant.

"Do I know you?" Mike asked, looking over the guy to see if he had a badge to get into the firm or if he even _looked_ like a lawyer.

"I'm a friend of your dad's," the guy shrugged. "Why are you out here on your own?"

"None of your business," Mike growled, wondering if he should slowly inch back into the firm.

"Hey, it's alright," the guy gave a small smile. "Look, I'm on my break and need company. Fancy coming with me to the park? Your dad told me how much you like to go."

Mike looked at the man for a few more seconds. He did want some adult company right now. Someone who didn't care that _sometimes _he acted like the 6 year he appeared to be. Another wave of frustration hit him as he remembered Harvey's words and nodded, following this man to the park.

* * *

><p>Harvey watched with building horror as on the monitor, Mike started talking to a stranger outside the firm.<p>

"Why would he do that?" Donna asked whilst blinking rapidly, trying to not let any tears leave her eyes. "He knows not to talk to strangers."

"He's in a law firm, Donna," Harvey explained raggedly. "He talks to all the adults like they're his friends - he can't talk to anyone else. He has me and you. That's it. He's too smart for kids his own age and too shy to talk to any of them anyway. He just assumes that a lawyer will be his friend and _dammit _where is my son?"

The CCTV guys flinched at his tone and tried to find Mike on the other cameras outside the firm. Harvey grasped the back of a chair as Mike threw a hateful glance at the building before nodding to the guy and walking away with him. "I want this guy's head on a _spike_," Harvey said dangerously, and even the police officers that had arrived stepped back slightly. "_Right. Now_."

"We've got a good picture," one of the officers assured him. "We're sending it round. If this guy is wanted we'll find him."

"And if he's not?" Harvey asked. "What'll you do? Put Mike's face on a milk carton and every year write to me telling me how _sorry _you are that you couldn't catch this guy?"

"Mr Specter it's only just happened, we're cautiously optimistic - "

"Don't give me that, I've been to criminal trials - I've seen what guys like _this_," he spat, pointing at the camera screens, "do to kids like Mike. The chances of finding him right now are _laughable_."

"Harvey," Donna said in a quiet voice, going to touch his arm.

He wrenched it away. "Excuse me," he said gruffly, leaving the room.

He located the closest bathroom in the vicinity and threw up.

* * *

><p>"I like coming here," the guy told Mike, walking through the park, watching other people - dog walkers, parents with strollers.<p>

Mike nodded, feeling tension drain from his body. He loved parks. He had so many happy memories of parks. There were times with his parents, his Grammy, his... his Harvey.

His daddy.

His daddy who he actually kinda missed right now.

"Hey, I think I'm going to go back now," Mike said, turning to go. Suddenly, a hand grasped his upper arm. "Ow! What are you doing?"

"Don't leave yet," the guy said in a perfectly calm tone. "We've barely gotten very far in."

Okay, now he _really _wanted to go back. "Get off me!" Mike wrenched his arm out of the man's grasp and ran. Ran as fast as his annoyingly short legs could take him.

Unfortunately, he was being chased by a guy with much longer legs than he himself possessed. He upped his pace, heart pounding in fear and anger - why had he just assumed this guy knew Harvey, just because he said he had? Harvey wouldn't associate himself with anyone like this.

"Hey, where you going, sport?" The guy asked with an easy laugh - anyone watching would assume Mike was just messing about with his dad.

This thought panicked and angered him. "Let me go!" He yelled as he was once again grabbed around the arm. "Daddy!" He yelled, stupidly thinking that Harvey could hear him.

And he should - Harvey would hear him and find him and it would all be fine.

"Stop wriggling, kid," the man growled, managing to get a good grasp and hold Mike as he quickly walked further into the park.

* * *

><p>Harvey placed his hands either side of the sink and rested his forehead on a mirror, breathing shallowly. He looked into the mirror, surprised to see his eyes were red, the image of himself blurring as his eyes filled up.<p>

"Dammit!" He yelled, punching the mirror with his fist. The pain felt good, it meant he could focus on something other than his too-fast heart and the overwhelming guilt he could feel. Why had he lost his patience? He shouldn't have said anything, just gently pushed Mike into Louis' office - for a man who seemed to get on appallingly badly with Mike he had a way of keeping him occupied. Mike even enjoyed his company.

"Harvey?" He ducked his head as Donna strode into the men's toilets fearlessly. "Harvey, I know how terrifying this is, but you need to try and keep a cool head - you're not good to Mike if you're breaking down in toilets."

It was so blunt that Harvey couldn't help but let a small chuckle bubble up and break forth, quickly turning and rubbing his hands over his face to try and disguise the fact he was wiping away tears. "Come here," Harvey felt Donna pull on his elbow and as he turned she got him into a hug that he couldn't really break away from - _didn't _really want to break away from. He let himself rest his cheek against the side of her head, feeling her rubbing on his back as he had done to Mike countless times.

Mike...

"It's okay," Donna whispered, tears streaming down her face as she felt Harvey shuddering in her arms - Harvey Specter; the man who didn't show emotion. "It'll be fine. We'll find him."

* * *

><p>"I swear, kid - I will <em>enjoy <em>you," the man hissed as Mike wouldn't stop wriggling desperately. What was meant to no doubt be a scare tactic worked in the sense that Mike was even more terrified; but it just renewed a desperate need to escape in him.

He tried to inch down slightly - the man had twisted him so he was holding him the way Harvey sometimes did if he was really upset - his head would usually just tuck underneath Harvey's chin and rest on his shoulder. Mike suddenly froze in his movements and the man was momentarily stunned that he had stopped.

"See, isn't it easier to just - _son of a bitch!_" He howled and his grip loosened, causing Mike to drop to the floor - moments before the man did the same. He had managed to get a solid kick into the guy's crotch and quickly ran, weaving in and out of the bushes, hoping he would stay down long enough for Mike to get a good distance away.

* * *

><p>"We got a positive ID back on the guy," an officer said to a woman who was clearly in charge of the investigation. "Simon Webb - he's wanted in 4 states for child abduction and... uh - " he looked over at Harvey tactlessly, wondering whether to say it in front of the guy who's kid had just been kidnapped and looked like he hadn't slept in 5 years, his eyes lined with red.<p>

Thankfully, the woman just nodded. "MO?"

"He convinces the kids that he knows one of their parents and they follow him somewhere - whether it's because he says they're meeting up with the kid's parents or because he's 'known them all their lives'. Sometimes introduces himself as their uncle."

Harvey felt faintly sick again.

"He takes them into an undisturbed part of the area and..." the guy tailed off again, but Harvey knew all too well what he was saying.

"We've got officers combing the park," the woman said. "We need - " she was stopped by her radio going off. "You've...? He has? Okay, stay there, I'll send some back up your way."

Harvey had his hand in a vice-like grip that were crushing Donna's fingers. He had heard the words 'Webb' and 'found' over the radio and waited desperately to see what was being said. The female officer smiled at him. "It seems you have one brave son, Mr Specter - Simon Webb was found on the ground by one of our officers - apparently someone had kicked him in the nuts," she smirked. "Your son wasn't there so he must have ran - it won't be too long until we find him; the situation is nowhere near as desperate as before."

Harvey was feeling so much emotion he wasn't sure what to do with himself. At first he felt clear relief. Then pride. Then fear once more. Then indignation that the officer didn't think the situation was still desperate. His son was still missing!

"Mr Specter - does your son know the park well?" The officer asked him urgently.

"I - I guess so; we go there quite often," Harvey replied, trying to think. Mike had wanted to go to the park that very afternoon. Harvey vowed the first thing he was doing was taking Mike to the park every single day after this.

"Is there a place he likes particularly?" The officer pressed. "Somewhere special to the two of you, or just somewhere he enjoys?"

"The play park," Harvey immediately answered. "He likes the play equipment."

The officer nodded and spoke into the radio. "We'll have people looking - "

"Screw that," Harvey said, finally leaving the room and his hold on Donna's hand.

"Harvey - "

"Donna, Mike is out in that park somewhere - there's still the chance anyone could have him," Harvey reminded her. "I'm going to find him."

* * *

><p>Mike tore through the park, stumbling and tripping - grazing his arms and muddying his trousers. He gave an odd sob as he approached the play park. He hadn't even been heading towards it - but it looked like a good place to hide; there were people and he could find his way back to the firm from there.<p>

He dove for the jungle gym and found a tunnel he often went to when Harvey had a spare hour and brought him there.

_Mike giggled as Harvey grabbed him by the stomach - ignoring the damage that would undoubtedly be done to his suit as he kicked through the dead leaves that had fallen onto the ground. There was no one else in the play park, and Mike had foolishly grabbed a handful of leaves and snuck up on Harvey, who had been talking with a client whilst sat on a bench. He had thrown them on top of the older man and gave a happy shriek as Harvey jumped but then just as quickly got up, a twinkle in his eyes as he asked the client to excuse him for a second as he chased the toddler._

_"Daddy that tickles!" Mike could hardly breathe and giggled delightedly as Harvey threw him up in the air slightly. Mike quickly wriggled out of his grip and ran - his light, happy laughs floating in the wind, like music to Harvey's ears. _

_Mike dived into a plastic tube and crawled to the middle, giggling as Harvey peered in, an eyebrow raised. "You'll need to come out at some point, Mikey," Harvey told him. "I can be a very patient person."_

_Mike giggled again and backed away to the other end of the tube, but a hand suddenly snake around his ankle. "No, Daddy!" He shrieked happily._

_"I'm faster than you," Harvey smirked but let Mike's foot go, before quickly diving to the other end, smiling as Mike quickly backed away from that end. Mike giggling again and shuffled backwards. Just as Harvey got to the other end Mike dived out of the one Harvey had just been at._

_"Tricked you!" Mike yelled, bounding away, trying to climb up the jungle gym before Harvey reached him. It wasn't to be, however, and Harvey quickly grabbed him again, giving a small laugh as Mike huffed. "I nearly got away."_

_"Yep, you're getting faster - one day you'll manage to get away from me," Harvey joked, patting Mike's back as he walked back to the client. "Sorry about that."_

_The client had shrugged, bemused - but Harvey had later been told by Jessica that the client had convinced his family and some business partners to join the firm - because they had lawyers who cared about family_.

Mike gave a sob and curled up inside the tube that so many times had a grinning Harvey at the other end.

* * *

><p>"Harvey, you don't even know if he's actually <em>here<em>!" Donna's protests fell on deaf ears as Harvey arrived at the park. He caught a glimpse of some officers combing the grounds around it and somehow felt slightly better. They _had _to find Mike.

He didn't actually know what to do if they never did.

His gaze roved slowly around the park - the location of so many laughs and memories. He swore that the next time Mike asked to go to the park, Harvey would drop everything and take him - just to hear his laugh again.

That sweet, sweet laugh which he always got - a delighted, giggly shriek when Harvey joined in the game - when he cornered Mike at one end of the tunnel...

The tunnel.

A simple, plain, dusty yellow, plastic tube which Mike delighted in hiding from him in.

He walked towards it, ignoring Donna's questions. He pulled up as he heard crying. He _knew _that crying. It was the worst sound to his ears; it made his days darker and he would always give anything to turn it into a smile.

"Mikey?" Harvey bent down, his heart soaring regardless of seeing his little boy crying because his little boy was _fine_. "Hey, buddy. We've been looking everywhere for you."

Mike gave a large sniff and rubbed at his eyes as he looked up. He saw Harvey at the other end of the tunnel - like so many times before except instead of an outright grin he had a small, sad smile. "Daddy!" He cried, quickly trying to clamber out of the tube, sobbing even more now that Harvey was finally _there_.

Harvey quickly opened his arms to get an armful of small child. Not caring about his suit pants he slid to his knees, letting Mike rest wherever he wanted. He breathed in the smell of clean hair - marred only slightly by the dirt on the ground and the nauseating smell of Webb's cologne. "It's alright, Mikey - are you okay?" Harvey whispered.

God help the world if Harvey Specter's little boy was in any way injured.

Thankfully, Mike nodded, clutching at Harvey's tie and sobbing onto his shoulder. Harvey rocked him, closing his eyes as he kept a desperate hold of Mike, breathing in deeply. "You had us worried," he whispered, kissing the boy's forehead.

"'M sorry," Mike murmured.

"It's okay," Harvey shushed him, refusing to stand up as some officers approached with Donna in tow. "Just next time you get angry at me - go hide somewhere I can find you, okay?"

"You still found me," Mike hiccuped, feeling Harvey finally stand up and start walking. A female officer came over with a blanket, asking if Harvey wanted her to look after him, but quickly jumped back as the man all but snarled and yanked the blanket out of her hands, covering Mike with it protectively. They soon arrived at the firm, and suddenly there was chaos, as everyone flocked around them.

"Harvey, is he okay?" Jessica approached, looking relieved at the sight of Harvey clutching the boy.

"He's alright," Harvey said - sounding more like he was trying to convince himself than anything. "He's okay. Hey, buddy," he shushed as Mike's lip wobbled in sheer relief, "it's okay. Hmm? It's alright."

"Scared," Mike mumbled, squeezing his eyes tight at the confession. "I was so, _so _scared, Daddy."

"It's fine," Harvey shushed. "Daddy's right here now - you're never leaving my sight again. Got it?"

"Ever?" Donna chipped in, trying to lighten the mood ever so slightly.

"Maybe when you're 25, we can talk," Harvey said, stroking tears off Mike's cheeks. Mike gave a sniffle that could have been a laugh and rested his head on Harvey's shoulder tiredly. "You've been through a lot today, huh?" Harvey whispered, stroking the back of Mike's hair. The little boy responded by nuzzling into Harvey's neck - and it felt like he was just breathing in Harvey's scent. "Go to sleep, kiddo," Harvey said softly. "I'll be right here with you," he promised.

"Love you, Daddy," Mike said, somewhat shyly.

Harvey fought down the lump in his throat before answering. "I love you too, Mikey. So, so much. Got it? If I ever get angry with you - I don't mean anything I say, okay?" Mike nodded, sucking his thumb. "Good. At some point we'll talk about what you did wrong today," Harvey told him, without any bite in his statement whatsoever. "But just go to sleep, baby boy."

"Not a baby," Mike mumbled in what Harvey assumed was tired outrage. To be fair, Harvey hadn't planned on saying it. But having Mike in his arms and so close after such a day - he was allowed to be slightly mushy and affectionate.

"You're _my _baby," Harvey assured him, loving how embarrassed Mike got. He planned on using that line a lot more often. Even though the little boy seemed embarrassed as Harvey said it, Mike simply nodded in possible agreement and nuzzled closer still, his grip on Harvey's clothes not loosening even as he fell asleep.

"Harvey, I think when you had your shower this morning you mistakenly used some sort of herbal, skin smoothing cream," Donna informed him.

"As opposed to my skin searing, rolled-in-barbed-wire shampoo?" Harvey asked her, rolling his eyes.

"Exactly. You're far too calm and caring."

"It's Mike," Harvey replied simply. "I'm allowed to be."

Donna smiled at him and shook her head, just as Jessica walked up to them. "I'm assuming you're going to try and sue this man for as much as possible."

"Oh I'm going to sway the jury towards the death penalty," Harvey assured her as he rubbed the sleeping boy's back.

"And I'm sure you could manage it," she replied. "You have the firm's full backing in this - I'll act as co-council. And I'll take Louis with me for him to act as _my _co-council if they don't let you in on it."

"And what did you bribe him with to do that?" Harvey muttered.

"Oh he volunteered," Jessica informed him with a small smile.

"And how long is he going to hold it over my head?" Harvey asked.

"I think you'll find it's not always about you, Harvey," Jessica said. "Seems like everyone was quite worried about Mike today. In fact, I think the associates are clubbing together to buy him something. But you didn't hear it from me," she winked, watching his face as he appeared deep in thought.

"I'm not surprised," Harvey said smugly. "He's an alright kid."

"Really?" She said, her hands on her hips. "Are you honestly trying that one with me now?"

Harvey gave her a small, genuine smile as he shifted Mike's weight slightly. "I'm not surprised," he said seriously. "He's the best kid I know."

* * *

><p><strong>AN And here is me not having a clue where to end it so you'll have to make do with here :P Really hope you enjoyed - there may be a future chapter of the aftermath or something but... if not, I hope you're satisfied with just this one :) Please review? :)**


	5. Sniffles And Snowball Fights

**You guys! Thank so much for all the reviews - don't worry, Pervy McPerverson will get what's coming to him in a future chapter :P Now I've been hit by inspiration because of the bizarre weather forecasts we've been getting :P So enjoy :D**

* * *

><p>"Donna, where's Harvey?" Jessica asked, striding down the corridor. If Donna didn't know better, she would say that Jessica was ready to rip her to shreds if she didn't have an answer - but it was just frustration at Harvey more than anything.<p>

"I'm not sure," Donna let some frustration show in her face in a bid of solidarity that they were _both _angry at Harvey. "It could be the snow - I know many people couldn't get in. I tried calling Ray but he didn't pick up."

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Jessica said, knowing that Donna was worried about the car crashing in the icy slush that coated the roads. Their weather seemed to be bipolar, having been scalding hot only a week previous. It had started getting colder and suddenly New York woke up to be under a blanket of snow. "Try and call him again. If you hear nothing in an hour try and go to his apartment - but be careful."

Donna smiled and nodded to Jessica, only letting the worry back on her face when the other woman had left. She tried Harvey's number again, wondering if he would ever pick up.

_"Hello?__"_

She blew out a breath in relief. "Harvey, where are you? You know people are assuming you've crashed on the way in because of the ice?"

She heard him sigh. _"I meant to email in, but I haven't had time. I'm staying at home today."_

"Are you alright?" If he was ill, her first thought (okay, second after hoping he didn't feel too bad) was that she hoped Mike wasn't panicking or being left to his own devices.

_"I'm fine. Mike's ill."_

"What's wrong with him?"

_"I think it's the flu. He'll be fine - he's more annoyed than anything. I promised him he could come into work with me and then go out in the snow." _

"Aw, poor baby," Donna cooed, wanting to hug him. "Do you need me to come round?"

_"No, we'll be fine. Won't we? Want to talk to Donna?" _She waited patiently but Harvey gave another sigh. _"I'll call you later, Donna."_

"Okay," she conceded, trying not to feel hurt that Mike didn't want to talk to her. "Bye, Harvey," he hung up and she started to organise her desk. Even if he was ill, she hoped that Mike would still have a good day at home.

She was then off to report to Jessica that their best closer hadn't come in because his little boy wasn't feeling very well.

* * *

><p>Harvey hung up and put his cell off to one side. He tried not to move lest he accidentally moved Mike slightly from the comfortable position he'd gotten himself in. Mike gave a small whimper and started to suck his thumb, trying to get even more onto Harvey's lap than was physically possible.<p>

"Hey," Harvey said gently. "It's alright. How do you feel?"

Mike gave another whimper and hid his face in Harvey's neck. Harvey sighed as he could feel the heat radiating off Mike's skin. The kid coughed miserably and gave a sniff. Harvey started to rock him soothingly, pulling the blue blanket that Mike had been chewing over them both, rubbing at Mike's back slowly.

"Daddy?" Mike whispered pathetically. It _almost _made Harvey roll his eyes. _Almost_. They had reached the stage where Mike would call him 'daddy' if he was beyond tired or really wanted something. Thankfully, not even Donna knew what Mike did; only Mike knew that calling him 'daddy' was a sure fire way for him to fold and practically melt at the adorableness. Not that Harvey Specter did 'melting'.

"Yeah?"

"Don't feel good."

"I know," Harvey sighed, continuing to rock him. "I know. Let's run through it again."

"Head hurts," he mumbled. "Too hot. Throat hurts. Nose is snotty and hurts. Don't feel well," he finished miserably. Mike had a habit for not talking in full sentences if he was upset - something about his emotions making the 3 year old side shine through more. Harvey usually tried to remind him to speak coherently - not just because Mike _should _be talking coherently, but because no son of his would sound like an illiterate kid. But he didn't today, because Mike was too miserable to care and that usually made Harvey quite grumpy and he really didn't want to sound grumpy when speaking to Mike.

"Okay, let's take some more Tylenol," Harvey said, reaching for the bottle which was conveniently placed on the coffee table in front of them. The last thing he wanted was to move Mike when they'd finally settled down on the couch.

Mike gave a wail to show exactly what he thought of that idea and Harvey sighed. "I know," he murmured, pulling that cap off the medicine and putting some on a spoon. "But if you want to go out in the snow, you need to be 100 percent," Harvey reminded him. He pulled the blanket from around them to try and cool Mike down slightly. "Open wide," he said, holding the spoon out. As expected, Mike shut his mouth and refused to open it for anyone.

"Well that's a shame," Harvey mused, raising his eyebrows. Mike was too smart to open his mouth and ask why, so he just widened his eyes to show he wanted to know _what _was a shame. "Well I hear the snow is going to melt soon - kids are getting the most out of it now."

Mike gave another whimper, looking at Harvey with watery eyes. "I want to go out in the snow," he said with a wobbly voice.

"I'm sure you do," Harvey replied, moving the spoon slightly closer. "But you only get to do that if I think you're well enough to do it."

Mike's lip wobbled but he slowly opened his mouth, moving cautiously towards it as if scared that Harvey would suddenly plunge the spoon in without warning. Instead he moved it in slowly, tipping it and making sure Mike swallowed before taking it out again.

"Good boy."

Mike sniffled and put his thumb back in his mouth.

"Thirsty," he mumbled, laying his head on Harvey's shoulder. Harvey nodded.

"I'm going to have to stand up to get you a drink," he warned. Mike's arms tightened around his neck which Harvey assumed meant that Mike was coming along for the ride. "Okay, spider monkey," Harvey said as he stood up. "Easy on the grabbing."

Mike gave a small giggle. "You quoted Twilight."

Harvey almost stopped in his tracks. "I did not."

"You did! One of the characters gets called 'spider monkey' by the vampire!"

"Do I look like a vampire?" Harvey asked. "Actually, don't answer that. And when have you ever seen me watch Twilight?"

"Don't deny it," Mike said. "I'll ask Donna. She'll know."

Suddenly, Harvey switched track. "So I can't call you spider monkey. Would you prefer I called you a bush baby instead?"

"Not a baby," Mike mumbled, easily deceived by the topic change.

"Lemur?"

"No!"

"3-toed sloth?"

"Daddy!"

Harvey snorted slightly and poured out some cold water to mix with orange cordial. He put it in a sippy cup and passed it to Mike, who glared at the cup. "Put that look away," Harvey said wearily. "I'll let you have a more breakable cup when you're better."

"I'm better now!" Mike whined.

"Of course you are," Harvey replied, sitting back down on the couch as Mike. "That's why you're hotter than I would like, and why your nose is running like a tap."

"Simile," Mike said tiredly, causing Harvey to smile. He had been having special 'lessons' - more like tests that Mike insisted on. After going to a daycare for a while he wanted to see what kind of things education had to offer now he had a parent who could afford such things. So every week a tutor came and tested him on... everything, it seemed. And Mike showed off every week and then sometimes forgot to switch it off when it was just the two of them.

"Yep. Now tell me what I'm using when I say that the snow will probably melt before you get better if you don't do what I say."

"Uh... pathetic fallacy?"

"Threat," Harvey corrected him, smiling to show he wasn't serious. "Come on - have a nap and we'll see how you feel afterwards."

"I don't want a nap," Mike whined, clutching at Harvey's top.

"Yes you do," Harvey told him. "Ill people like sleeping."

"_I _don't," Mike pouted. "I want to go in the snow!"

"I know you do," Harvey said gently. "And you will."

"Promise?"

"I don't know if I can promise it, kiddo," Harvey said regretfully. "But you seem better than you did this morning. Let's just see how you feel later - okay?" Mike nodded, resting his cheek on Harvey's shoulder. "Good boy. Okay - naptime."

He took Mike over to his own room rather than Mike's - the kid had set up a nice den for himself in the covers that morning when he first started feeling ill and Harvey knew he always felt better if he had some sort of connection with his 'daddy'. And since the older man had other things he needed to be doing, he couldn't sit with Mike through the nap. He laid the toddler down and placed the back of his hand on his forehead.

"I think your temperature might have come down a bit," Harvey said, trying to cheer the small boy up. If Mike _thought _he was getting better, then he would _feel _better. However, Mike simply gave a sniff and held his thumb tightly in his mouth.

Harvey smiled sadly. "Okay. Sleep tight, kiddo," he brushed back some hair and planted a small kiss on his warm forehead. Mike squeezed Harvey's hands for a second before letting go and closing his eyes, trying to get some sleep.

* * *

><p>Harvey was thankful that when Mike woke up, he <em>did <em>seem better. His temperature was nearly normal and he wasn't so lethargic. Harvey had no doubt misdiagnosed him with flu - it was probably just a small illness that quickly went as soon as it came - or just stayed for about 24 hours before deciding to calm down. Mike still whined that his throat hurt (although Harvey wasn't sure how he could manage to whine if that were the case) and his nose was either stuffy or runny. But he didn't seem nearly as miserable as he had done that morning.

It was now late afternoon heading into early evening and Mike felt well enough to be clamouring for attention. Harvey was sure that for any other child this meant pulling on their parent's trouser leg but for _his_ child... A bid for attention was launching himself at Harvey's knees or making a mountain out of law books in an attempt to reach the door that leads to the balcony so he could go out in the snow.

Cue time-out.

"I don't care, Mike," Harvey said over the din Mike was trying to make with a hoarse voice and blocked nose. "That was my top rule - don't try and get out onto the balcony. And what did you do?" He waited for Mike to reply. "Mike - what did you do to earn this time-out?"

"I tried to go outside!" He wailed, his voice being slightly dulled as he faced the wall.

"And...?"

"And that's bad!"

Harvey nodded. "That's right. So you'll sit here for ten minutes and when you come out, you'll be quiet, take some more medicine and sit with me on the couch while I do work."

Mike looked down at the floor with another despondent sniff. Satisfied, Harvey nodded and went over to the couch himself, getting files out and spreading them out on the coffee table. He kept an eye on the time as well, but was pretty sure that Mike was doing it somewhat more thoroughly than he himself was. As soon as the clock hand struck the right time Mike hastily shimmied around, looking at Harvey. Harvey wasn't even looking but nodded, causing Mike to rush over and plant himself in his side.

"Sorry," he whispered, wiping his nose on his sleeve. Harvey rolled his eyes and grabbed a tissue, putting it to the toddler's nose.

"Blow," he said, making sure that Mike's nose was as clear as possible before putting the tissue in the bin. "C'mere," Mike climbed onto the couch and laid down, resting his head on Harvey's lap. Harvey absent mindedly ran his fingers through Mike's hair, teasing the strands as he read through the files.

After 25 minutes Harvey looked down and was amazed that Mike was still awake. Usually - even if he wasn't tired, this sort of interaction set him on the brink of sleep, but he was just staring out of the windows, no doubt fantasizing about being out in the snow.

"Hey, kiddo," Harvey said softly, causing Mike to blink and look up at him. "What say you and I have some dinner?"

"What?" Mike asked, which Harvey took to mean 'What are we eating and it had better be something I like or I will _not _be happy'.

"I don't know yet - you want to help cook it?" Harvey asked, knowing that Mike would eagerly grasp at this incentive - it was one Harvey used if he _really _wanted Mike to cheer up and knew that Mike loved to help. It made him feel more adult.

As he expected, Mike nodded and struggled to sit up. "What are we making?"

"How about some grilled cheese?" Harvey suggested. He wasn't in the mood for much and he really just wanted _something _to go in Mike's stomach - something warm. Mike nodded eagerly and Harvey stood up, holding out his hand, which Mike took and practically dragged him to the kitchen. He grabbed the step Harvey had bought and put it by the counter, awaiting his instructions. Harvey gave him an amused smile before lifting him off the step and taking him over to the sink first, making sure he washed his hands thoroughly.

"What can _I _do?" Mike asked. Harvey checked in the fridge and found some cheese. He grabbed a grater and passed it to Mike.

"Here, grate the cheese. Just - "

"Be careful, I know," Mike said, starting to slowly grate cheese. Harvey watched him every so often when he thought he could get away with it - Mike wasn't happy if he thought he was being given responsibility only to find out that he really wasn't being given much at all.

In no time at all they each had a plate of grilled cheese sandwiches and Harvey let Mike sit on his lap to eat his own, making sure he didn't get any crumbs in the little boy's hair. "How do you feel?" He asked just as they were finishing. Like always, Mike left about half of his portion on his plate. He still wasn't used to being able to eat pretty much whatever he wanted - as long as Harvey thought it would be okay. He'd had to live off basically nothing for a long time so it was taking his stomach a very long time to adjust to this. Harvey was patient though, and knew when not to push - Mike ate until he was full, and that was all he could ask. Mike just gave shrug in answer to his question.

Harvey wiped another tissue underneath Mike's nose before getting up and placing the toddler on the floor. He refilled a sippy cup and passed it to Mike who had toddled behind him. "Don't give me that look," he warned, and nodded in satisfaction as Mike drank rather than glared at the cup. "Go play for a while, I'll wash up. Then it's bath time,"Harvey said with a raised eyebrow, daring Mike to argue.

"Can I watch a movie?" He asked instead.

"After your bath," Harvey replied.

"I move for a counter-proposal," Mike said, pulling on Harvey's shirt. Harvey smirked and ruffled his hair.

"Your honour, the defendant - henceforth to be known as Michael James Specter - is going against what he's been told to do. In this case, I call for a mistrial on the grounds that I am always right."

"Your honour I don't want a bath!"

"Your honour, the defendant is going the right way for an early bedtime."

"Your honour I want to go out in the snow! Prosecution is using the rights of fatherhood as a grounds for a hostage-like situation and the defence doesn't see how this holds any weight in court!"

"Your honour, the prosecution rests in order to give the defendant a bath," Harvey said, picking Mike up and tickling him slightly. "Come on; you have this bath and we watch a movie - okay?"

"I guess," Mike mumbled, coughing some more and sniffing. Harvey patted his back and let the bath fill up, helping him undress before wrapping him in a towel and sitting on the edge of the tub, holding the toddler on his lap.

When the bath was ready, Harvey slowly placed Mike in it, rubbing at his upper body comfortingly. The warm water and nice smelling bubble bath must have been soothing him, as he barely bothered protesting when it got to washing his hair. As always, Harvey was gentle and his lathering was barely noticeable.

"How do you feel?" Harvey asked as he lifted Mike out, rubbing a towel over him before helping him into a pull-up and some pyjamas.

Mike shrugged. "Okay. My nose hurts."

Harvey nodded and took him back into the living room. "Which movie did you want to watch?"

Harvey would never admit it, but the slowly growing stack of children's DVDs next to his TV was a sight that made him quite happy. It looked almost domestic and reminded him that Mike was perfectly happy in this life now and wouldn't mind being occasionally treated like a child.

"Mikey?"

"Disney," Mike decided.

"Which one?" Harvey could just about stand the Disney films, but supposed it was only fair that he watched them when he insisted on Mike watching them rather than his other choices (_"Mike there is no way I'm letting you watch _Cabin Fever_. Same goes for _The Amityville Horror_... I'll think about _The Godfather_."_).

"Uh... 'The Lion King'?" Mike suggested. Harvey had only bought the films he decreed as more macho than the others. There were no Disney Princesses in the films Mike had. Harvey set him down on the couch and slotted the disc in, allowing Mike to climb on his lap as it started.

It wasn't long before Mike started nodding off - even before Mufasa's death; which Harvey was happy about because that bit was always a sore spot for the little boy. Harvey paused it to see if Mike complained, but it seemed like he was well and truly out for the count. He snorted at how far into the film they had actually gotten and slowly stood up, taking Mike to his room and settling him down on his bed. He lightly tucked him in, not wanting the toddler to get too warm, and switched the night light on.

"What about the monsters?" Mike voice was quiet - sleep-slurred and hoarse and Harvey gave him a reassuring smile, opening the cupboard door and looking in before closing it and kneeling to check under the bed.

"No monsters, Mikey," Harvey said softly. "Go to sleep."

"Snow?"

"There's still snow. We'll see how you are tomorrow. Go to sleep..." He shushed Mike until he quickly fell asleep once more before retreating to his own room.

He hadn't even been anywhere that day and he was exhausted.

* * *

><p>He was woken up when a very light boy leapt on him the following morning. Struggling to battle the tiredness he still felt and trying to get Mike off him, Harvey finally managed to sit up. "Morning, kiddo," he said, smiling at Mike's beam "How do you feel this morning?"<p>

"Better!" Mike answered. "And it snowed more! Can we go out today? Please?"

Harvey pulled Mike onto his lap as he thought. "Let me check your temperature," he said. He went into a drawer that Donna had labelled as his 'dad drawer' in which he kept all things any parent knows are essential. He found the thermometer and Mike instantly opened his mouth to accept it. They had a moment of silence whilst Mike rested against Harvey's chest and Harvey rocked slightly side to side, gently rubbing Mike's stomach before the thermometer beeped at them.

Harvey pulled it out and smiled. "Normal."

"So I can go out?" Mike asked excitedly.

"Open your mouth," Harvey said, tilting Mike's head and looking down his throat. As if on cue, Mike started coughing, but remembered to put his hand over his mouth. "It's a little red," Harvey muttered. "How's your nose?"

"Runny," Mike complained, and so didn't object to Harvey grabbing tissues from the 'dad drawer' and putting them to Mike's nose. "_Please _can we go out today?"

Harvey sat there and thought for a while. Mike did seem to be a lot better - nearly back to normal. The only thing was a small cough and a leaky nose. And he could make sure he wrapped up well - but he needed to do work, he'd already stayed at home for one day.

"How would you like to come into the firm?" Harvey asked. "We can go to the park for a bit and I'm sure if you ask Donna nicely she'll make some hot chocolate."

That got him - Mike could probably overdose on the stuff that Donna made. It was made with real chocolate and cream and then she added whipped cream, cocoa powder and marshmallows. "And I can go out in the snow?"

"As long as you wear _everything _I tell you to," Harvey told him, poking him in the stomach playfully. Mike gave a small giggle in response to the action but quickly agreed.

* * *

><p>Several employees of Pearson Hardman watched with wide eyes as the famous Harvey Specter came into the firm holding a thick-mittened hand of a three year old, who was also wrapped up in a large, red coat, a blue scarf and a blue hat that Harvey kept pulling down so it covered his ears. He kept smiling in response to things the kid said, and jumping the kid up with his hands when he threatened to fall over the long scarf bundled around his neck.<p>

"I see you bothered coming in today," Jessica said pleasantly, smiling at Mike as she talked to Harvey - which had the man rolling his eyes; it seemed everyone liked Mike more than they like him. He found himself surprisingly okay with that.

"Couldn't have the firm trying to operate without me, could I?" Harvey smirked.

"Of course not," Jessica agreed, before turning to Mike. "How do you feel?"

"Better," Mike said quietly, rubbing at his nose with his sleeve, causing Harvey to tut and pull out what seemed to be a never ending supply of tissues. He made Mike blow into the material before screwing it up and putting it in a bin.

"I'm glad to hear that," Jessica smiled. "Any plans for the day?"

"We're going out in the snow!" Mike said enthusiastically. Usually he was very reserved and shy around Jessica but if they started talking about something he liked - he could go on for hours.

"Are you?" She asked. "I'm assuming that include you, Harvey?"

"Unfortunately," he replied.

"He wants to really," Mike assured Jessica, who looked incredibly amused. "Do you want to come?" He asked shyly. Harvey was secretly proud of him for opening up somewhat and pulled the hat down a bit more over Mike's ears.

"Jessica's a busy woman," he said. "She might not have time - I'm sure she'd love to though," he looked up at her, raising his eyebrows. She instantly understood - even before all of this she could tell that Harvey's associate suffered from an extreme lack of confidence sometimes - even now Harvey sometimes confided in her that he didn't know how to show Mike he was proud of him.

"I would love to," she said smoothly. "At lunch time; maybe others want to come too?"

Mike darted out of Harvey hands and they could hear him yelling Donna's name excitedly. Harvey gave Jessica a genuine smile. "Thank you."

"I wasn't doing it to spend time with you," she said, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Harvey!" Mike's yell came from down the corridor and he was soon running back - the scarf unravelling and his blonde hair in disarray as the hat he had been wearing had disappeared. "Donna wants to come! And Louis!"

"You invited Louis?" Harvey asked, slightly confused. "What would make him agree to come?"

"He likes kids, Harvey," Jessica told him. "And believe it or not, I think he likes spending time with Mike. You might find you have a babysitter here when Nick's out of town."

Harvey snorted. "I barely trust Nicky with him, Jessica," he said as he took the scarf off, folding it up. "I'm not going to trust Louis."

"You'd be surprised," Jessica said enigmatically. "I'll see you at lunch," she bid farewell to them and walked gracefully away to her office.

* * *

><p>"Mike - <em>wait<em>," Harvey said, trying to get Mike to put his coat on. "Stand still," he could hear gentle chuckling from behind as both Donna and Jessica watched as he tried and failed to prepare the toddler for his trip outside. He finally zipped up the coat and wrapped the scarf around him. "Hands," he said, letting Mike hold them out to be put in mittens. Finally, Harvey pulled the hat over down past his ears.

"Would you like some Mike along with those clothes?" Donna asked, causing Jessica and Louis to chuckle.

Harvey glared at her. "Feel free to let him catch pneumonia. Then _you _can be the one to sit up with him all night as he coughs his lungs up."

"I'm fine," Mike insisted. "Come _on_!" He pulled at Harvey's hand impatiently, wanting to go out in the snow. Harvey rolled his eyes and shrugged on an expensive Winter jacket. Looking around the adults, Mike saw he was pretty much the only one wrapped up. He relayed this to Harvey and got a chortle for his concerns.

"We aren't the ill ones, kiddo."

They soon got to the play park, and were apparently only some of the very few who agreed with their idea and love of snow. Maybe three other groups of people with small kids were out in the park, giving them a pretty free reign of the place.

Louis was immediately hit in the back of the head with a snowball and try as he might, the junior partner couldn't determine which Specter had thrown it.

"Harvey, it's a very bad example to set to someone as young as - " he was stopped as another snowball hit him right in the face, causing the snow to go into his mouth. "I'm not going to retaliate in the same juvenile way - " again a snowball hit him in the face and Mike immediately took flight, causing Louis to scoop up some snow and follow.

Donna was practically cackling at the events unfolding in front of her as she and Jessica sat on a bench, watching them. Harvey grinned and sat next to them, watching as Mike pretty much kicked Louis' ass when it came to snowball fights.

"Don't think I didn't see who that last snowball came from," Jessica said, looking at Harvey with a smirk.

He shrugged. "What can I say? That kid's a bad influence."

Both women snorted in an unladylike way and they sat back and watched as Mike managed to sneak up behind Louis - although Harvey wondered if Louis wasn't just pretending seeing as the whole place was white and Mike was a rainbow in blue and red - and get snow all down his back.

Mike tripped soon after this and was shoved back to Harvey by a slightly worried Louis when the kid started to cough. Harvey - like any good father; patted him on the back, pulled his hat further down over his ears and sent him back into the snow.

Louis and Donna (who had changed from the heels she brought to the office into old trainers) were now quite drenched - and no doubt going easy on the kid who was giggling fit to burst but still remarkably dry - and Donna was soon begging Harvey to join in.

"Come on, Harvey!" She wheedled. "You know Mike wants to play with you! We're poor substitutes in comparison!"

"Speak for yourself," Louis said smugly as Mike dragged him over to Harvey and Jessica by his hand.

"I'm not dressed to roll about in the snow," Harvey informed them. "Carry on though, Louis you suit the bedraggled look."

This is when Mike; wanting his daddy to join in, snuck around the bench and stuffed snow down Harvey's shirt. Harvey leapt up, his back freezing cold and soaked. Louis, Donna and Jessica were laughing at him, but quickly stopped when he turned an icy glare towards them.

Mike however, simply giggled and ran away. Just as Donna was on the point of fearing for the small boy's life, Harvey took off after him, practically tackling him down to the floor in a snowy bank and tickling him mercilessly.

"You do something, you better be able to handle the consequences," Harvey said, watching as Mike wiggled so much he thought he should stop now before the kid either had an accident or passed out.

"Sorry... Daddy!" He squealed between gasps.

"You should be - I was supposed to be seeing a client today," Harvey said, a smile on his face regardless of the situation.

"Sorry!" He squealed again, and dissolving into a fit of giggles when Harvey finally stopped. He stood up and tried to brush himself down as well as he could before picking Mike up and placing him upright, curling the scarf around his hands and deciding to take it off altogether.

"What are you doing?" Mike asked, still breathless, coughing slightly.

"This is too wet and cold, I don't want it round your neck," Harvey said to him. "C'mon," he took Mike's hand and they walked back to where the others were stood, shivering slightly, ready to go.

"Had fun?" Jessica asked, looking at both of them.

Mike nodded eagerly, and started speaking at about 90 miles and hour about something - Harvey hadn't a clue what he was saying but Jessica nodded in the right moments as she regally took his hand and they walked back to the firm. Donna smirked and clapped his soggy shoulder.

"Don't worry, you have a spare suit."

Harvey smirked. "Which is more than can be said for Louis," he looked over to look at Louis who had been drenched as Mike had been merciless in his pelting of snowballs.

"You should be grateful - your kid adores me."

"I'm sure he does," Harvey said in a condescending way. "And if we ever need a clown for a birthday party I know who to call."

Louis shut his mouth and walked faster to catch up with Jessica and Mike.

"That was cruel - and completely untrue," Donna said, linking arms with Harvey as they walked.

"I know - you think I'd make Mike suffer through a party with a clown? The kid's terrified of them. Think of what Louis as a clown would do to him!"

Donna smirked and shook her head, now unable to get rid of the image of Louis being climbed on by small children, eager to make friends with the clown.

"If you do it, I want pictures."

"I was assuming you would be the photographer anyway," Harvey informed her as they came closer to the firm. "And I'm not letting Mike anywhere near a clown."

"Over-protective," she scoffed half-heartedly.

He didn't deny it.

She smirked.

* * *

><p><strong>AN So... a lot of plotless stuff. Hope you enjoyed nonetheless :) And yes, right now quite a bit of the north of England is under a small sprinkling of snow - even though TWO days ago we had a barbecue in our back garden O.O Strange. Anywho - please review? :)**


	6. Rebel Without A Cause

**Hi people :) Again just to clarify - none of this is chronological. So don't panic when you see Mike's age ;) And thanks for the reviews! :D Oh, and also - anything about the schooling system; the american one confuses me but I did try and look up equivalents to the British one so if anything's wrong e.g, high school/middle school etc... my bad :P**

* * *

><p>"Has he started talking yet?" Donna asked with a small smile. Harvey's eyes flicked up at her with an annoyed glance before growling and looking back down.<p>

"I'm glad you think this is all so amusing," he replied, holding his pen in a tighter grip than was necessary.

"Come on, Harvey - you should be happy. The kid is looking at the chance of a lifetime and you're not letting him take it."

"Donna he's only 12!" Harvey argued. "He's not even a teenager yet! What makes you think I'm going to let him just move 200 miles away to live in Boston for most of the year, just because the Dean likes a law essay he wrote?"

"Because he wrote about the laws in such detail and with such mature writing, and the fact that he's a Senior in High School?" Donna said, as if Harvey weren't aware of the fact. "Or because a handful of the essays get sent off to various Ivy-league schools and the Dean at first assumed he was a gifted 18 year old?"

Harvey ground his teeth together, wishing he hadn't sent Mike to such a prestigious school that automatically sent out applications to places like Harvard law for some of their gifted students. And of course, Mike _would _be one of those gifted students because he's a twelve year old in a class of 18 year olds - and again, the classes are too easy. He kept being bumped up grades and at a parent-teacher conference the headmaster had laughingly suggested that Mike may as well do the final year.

Mike then turned beseeching eyes on Harvey, who rolled his eyes and said he'd think about it... and then the next day the seniors had a new classmate.

It had taken a lot of adapting. It wasn't the sort of school to have bullies but Mike still found it hard to socialise. The girls all cooed over him, making him wince and flush, looking down at his shoes. Whilst the guys tried to get him involved in their football games - more as entertainment but it entertained them even more when Mike tripped over the ball. More than once Harvey had gotten home to see Mike sniffing slightly and curling up on the sofa, reading 'Where The Wild Things Are' to escape reality for a bit.

It was nights like that when Harvey kicked his shoes off, changed into some clothes that he wouldn't even let _Nick _see him in and ordered in a greasy takeaway, letting Mike curl up in a ball next to him as they watched Star Trek.

Harvey heart genuinely _ached _for Mike sometimes. Some days he would be on top of the world and show up at the firm, gushing about the work he'd done and how the librarian knew him so well she picked out books for him that she somehow knew he hadn't read yet and how once he lost his place in the dinner queue but a girl from his class insisted she would pull him in front of her and stared anyone down who complained.

Days like that made Harvey have a smile on his face all the way through his workday.

But then there were other days when he would have to wait until he was back home before seeing Mike for the day; and whenever that happened, he knew that Mike had had a bad day. He would simply go up to Harvey and look up at him with watery eyes and give a small whimper and Harvey would immediately sweep him into a hug, cupping the back of his head and shushing slightly, while he wanted to cry himself. He couldn't help but think it was all his fault - that he shouldn't have bothered trying to put his little boy through school.

"Harvey, you've got him in his final year of High School when he should be in his final year of Middle School," Donna reminded him. "How is that any different to this?"

"He wanted to be a Senior - "

"And he doesn't want this? That's why he's so pissed at you for not letting him that he's refused to talk to you for a week? How's that going, by the way?" She asked.

"Donna, get out of my office," Harvey said in a level voice, but she knew she was skating on thin ice. It didn't stop her lips from thinning as she left without saying another word. Harvey sighed as he slouched in his chair slightly. Now he had two people mad at him.

It had started a few weeks previous.

Mike had gotten a letter from the Dean of Harvard. In several essays Mike had written for the aptitude tests specialists were still making him do, he had shown true potential, and some had been sent away to various Ivy-league schools. And the Dean said that, while it was a bit extreme to ask a 12 year old - he would still be delighted if Mike would agree to possibly attending if that was what he wanted to do later in life. He had even arranged a small induction for Mike to go along to if he wanted to know more.

Mike had been thrilled. He had waved the letter in Harvey's face as soon as he got home from work but faltered at the look Harvey had worn whilst reading the letter. He had said in a halting voice that he thought Harvey might find it funny - that now he was being offered to go to Harvard; he could have _real _credentials - he could work as a lawyer! Earlier than he thought or could possibly have dreamed of!

Harvey had put the letter down and said in a firm voice that he didn't think it was a good idea. That Mike could wait until he was the right age. That he was just wasting his childhood and teenage years if he did this.

And then he had all but broken down when Mike, with his watery blue eyes, said in a quiet, wavering voice, "Aren't you proud of me?"

Thankfully, Harvey wasn't angry enough to _show _his anger and instantly tried to right the situation. He had pulled Mike into a hug and had insisted he _was _proud of the kid - so proud for being noticed by Harvard; and he was happy Mike still wanted to go there and be a lawyer, but he didn't think he should have to worry about that yet.

It had seemed fine, Harvey had confided into Donna. Mike had simply taken the letter and Harvey hadn't heard anything more about it for a few weeks. And then maybe 3 days before the induction that the Dean had invited Mike along to (with his parent's permission, of course) he had said he wanted to go.

There had been arguments, threats and pleas and overall it left both parties frustrated and both were too stubborn to back down. So Mike hadn't been speaking to Harvey for about two days.

And it now had Harvey dreading going home every night. Usually he couldn't wait to leave the firm and get in his car, knowing he had something good going home to. Mike would usually grin at him and bounce over, telling him everything about his day, asking how Harvey's had gone - generally just not shutting up until Harvey placed a finger on his lips and asking if he was hungry.

But now Mike just sat sullenly on the couch reading, or purposefully leaving some of his work out - to show his exceptional marks and work, to prove he had what it took to get into Harvard law. But each time Harvey wanted to back down he remembered - Mike was only 12 years old. If he went to Harvard that was 3 years of his life living in Boston _without _Harvey - because Harvey couldn't just quit his job and go live at Harvard while Mike worked himself to death to get a JD.

He sighed as he packed up his things to go home.

* * *

><p>As always these past few days, he didn't even get a grunt in reply to his hello. Harvey gritted his teeth and went to hang up his jacket in his closet, quickly brushing the gel out of his hair and changing into some old jeans and a shirt.<p>

"You want something to eat?" He asked, walking out of his room to see Mike knelt on the floor, sorting through DVDs. The boy didn't give any indication that he heard him, and instead stiffly chose one and slotted it in, settling on the couch clutching the remote.

Harvey sighed and started preparing something to eat anyway, knowing that Mike would eat it if he put it down in front of him. Once the meal was cooked, Harvey ate his at the table, looking through files, and could feel Mike creeping up, quickly taking his own plate and settling back down in front of his movie. Harvey couldn't help but smirk when he recognised that Mike - the boy who wanted to go to Harvard _now_ - was watching Scooby Doo.

Harvey put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher and set aside his work, going to sit on the couch instead. Mike stiffened slightly but when Harvey simply sat there and watched with him, Mike slowly let the tension drain from his body.

If he was honest - he didn't like not talking to Harvey; it was hard for him to not talk at all, but Harvey just _wouldn't_ listen to him - all he wanted was to just go look round Harvard. He had done it before, sure but he wanted to see what they were trying to offer him. He might even be able to just do the exams necessary, get the credentials and then just wait until Jessica would hire him. He had once secretly gone to her when Harvey was in a meeting. He asked her when he could be re-hired and she had given him a warm smile and sat him down, explaining that - although she would love to - he had to understand that clients wouldn't take them seriously if they were to give him a child as a lawyer.

Mike sighed and practically felt Harvey's ear prick up. He shuffled slightly and tried to keep watching the film.

"Mike," Harvey said slowly. "How about you have a shower after this and put your pyjamas on."

Mike glanced at him but didn't reply, and instead turned his attention back to the TV. However, when the film finished he got up and walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. When Harvey heard the shower turn on he closed his eyes tiredly.

It had been a long day, and he could feel himself dropping off to sleep. His head fell to the side and he made no movement to try and stop it. He didn't know how long it had been but he felt a warm body slowly get on the sofa, a slight dip appearing next to him. Harvey was about to get up but Mike shuffled closer, planting himself on Harvey's side and sighing slightly. Harvey stayed in the position he was in, and kept his eyes closed for good measure. He felt Mike nuzzling into his side slightly and as much as he wanted to open an arm and let Mike crawl under, he knew the kid would bolt.

Apparently Mike now only felt comfortable if he thought Harvey was asleep.

Harvey slowly let himself sink further into sleep, the closeness of the himself and the little boy easing him gently into a haze of tiredness.

* * *

><p>Harvey woke up the next day with a bad crick in his neck and a cold condo. He sat up and realised that Mike wasn't where he had been last night - maybe he had decided to move into his bed instead? Harvey got up and felt a twinge in his back, and spent a few moment stretching necessary muscles before he felt he could walk fluidly. He looked into Mike's room and saw that the bed hadn't been slept in. This didn't worry him that much - a lot of the time when Mike was upset he would get into Harvey's bed.<p>

Harvey checked.

No Mike.

Panicking slightly, he checked in the bathroom and even the balcony.

"Mike?" He said, looking around as if the kid was simply hiding behind a door. "Mike!"

A scrap of paper on the table caught his eye and he went over, his heart thudding. A scribbled note next to the Dean's letter was sitting on the table.

_Dad -_

_I'm going to this induction. I _want _to be a lawyer and this is the chance of a lifetime. I'll be fine; I'll call when I get there - or I'll call Donna, if you're too mad at me. And don't worry, I didn't steal anything; I'm using my own money to get to Harvard._

_- Mike :)_

A small part of Harvey wanted to laugh. No matter what mood Mike was in, he automatically signed anything from himself with his name and a smiley face. But he suddenly became very sullen and serious. His 12 year old son had effectively run away from home.

He grabbed his phone and immediately tried to call Mike. Either the kid had his phone on silent or he was just ignoring it once he saw the caller ID. In a panic, he called Nick rather than Donna.

_"Hello?"_

"Nick, he's gone," Harvey said in a panic. "He left - I found a note saying that he was going to Harvard and he'd call me when he gets there."

_"Woah, woah - ease up, Harvey. Mikey left?"_

"While I was sleeping."

_"To go to Harvard?"_

"On his own."

_"And he's 12."_

"I'm aware of how old he is!" Harvey snapped, before feeling guilty. "I'm... sorry. Look - has he tried to call you?"

_"No. Should I come round?"_

"No, you need to stay there in case he tries to come round."

_"He said he's going to Harvard, big brother - I doubt he'd suddenly decide to crash at his uncle's instead. Look, I'll come round, okay? I'll bring some beer and pizza and we can get Donna on the case and then I can stand and watch while you tan his hid when he gets back and then he'll want to live with me instead. So just... calm down. I'll see you in a bit."_

Nick hung up and Harvey ran a hand through his hair. Nick made it sound as if it wasn't a bad situation. He made it sound like it was obvious that Mike would come back - but it wasn't. Not at all. For all he knew Mike had gotten on the wrong bus or train or was refused on the grounds that he was young... Some creep could have gotten to him...

Harvey tried to call again and like before, Mike didn't answer. Harvey was on the point of hyperventilation just as his phone started to ring.

"Mike?" Harvey said quickly, not looking at the ID.

_"Donna," _she said uneasily. _"What about Mike?"_

"He left to go to this stupid induction and I have no idea where he is right now - he said he'd call when he got there but I don't know when he set off, or how he's getting there and how much money he has or - "

_"Harvey you need to calm down," _Donna said, although her voice shook somewhat. _"How fast is your car?"_

"Which one?" He asked back.

He could practically feel her rolling her eyes. _"Silly question. The fastest one."_

"Fast," he replied, not wanting to talk cars at that moment in time.

_"Okay - I'll come round, we'll get in the car and we'll drive to Harvard," _she told him. _"If we don't stop and you have a full tank of gas we'll get there in maybe less than 3 hours. Don't worry - Mike's smart, he'll be fine."_

"He's _twelve_!" Harvey snarled. "I know sometimes it doesn't seem like it but... for Christ's sakes, Donna - the kid was watching Scooby Doo last night! He wears Iron Man pyjamas and gets into my bed when there's a thunderstorm! He once held my hand through an entire firm social because it was a masquerade and he didn't like the masks! Do you really think how smart he is matters much at this point?"

There was silence down the other end of the phone.

_"This is the kid who is smarter than people 10 years older than him," _Donna said quietly. _"He helps break some of your cases open and is smart enough to evade you if he's certain he wants to do something. He can remember everything he's ever read and can weasel his way out of something in pure lawyer fashion. I know he's 12, but he's also not - and sometimes you need to realise that."_

"Dammit, Donna - I don't care," Harvey growled. "I just want him home. We can talk about this later."

_"I'm on my way over," _she said in reply. _"Make sure you're ready to go."_

Just as she hung up, there was a knock at the door which was quickly followed by Nick walking through, clutching a six pack of beer. He quirked a smile at Harvey. "Hey, bro - so I didn't have time for pizza; but I thought that there's always time for beer, and - "

"Drink it on the road, we're going to Harvard," Harvey told him, quickly grabbing a jacket and combing his fingers through his hair. In the last few years it was standard practice for Harvey to just not care what he looked like at home and people at the firm sometimes got a glimpse of what they liked to call 'The Harvey Specter look of a dishevelled dad'.

"Cool," was all Nick said in reply and he opened a can, walking with Harvey outside to the garage. "So are we just waiting for - "

A taxi screeched to a halt before them and Donna got out, throwing some money at the driver.

"What did you do to make him do that?" Nick asked curiously as the driver paused to catch his breath as if he had ran the entire way.

"None of your business, Nicholas," she replied. "Now get in the back and don't spill any of that beer."

"Of course not," he said quickly, strapping himself into Harvey's car. "Want some?"

Donna wordlessly took the can offered.

* * *

><p>"I'm bored," Nick said when they were 2 hours into the journey. Harvey was firmly used to hearing this on car trips but couldn't employ his usual methods of either putting on a tranquil CD and waiting for his passenger to fall asleep or quizzing him on law terms.<p>

"Play eye-spy with Donna," Harvey muttered, his cell still clutched in his hands even as he was driving. Nick looked at Donna hopefully, who just turned around and raised an eyebrow. He sighed and slouched back in his seat.

"Why hasn't he called yet?" Harvey said - more to himself than any of them.

"Harvey a bus or a train would take longer than this car," Donna reminded him. "Don't worry - he will be fine."

Just at that moment, a phone went off.

"What did I tell you?" She preened, checking hers but finding it silent. "You?" Harvey shook his head. They both turned to look at Nick.

"I'm answering," he assured them, rolling his eyes. "Y'ello?" He paused and listened for a few seconds before breaking out into a grin. "Hey, buddy! How's Boston?"

"Nick, give me the phone," Harvey growled, trying to find somewhere to pull over.

"What do you mean, what do I mean?" Nick asked, giving an easy laugh that Harvey was envious of in his current state of mind. "You think I wouldn't be told if my favourite snot-nosed kid ran off? Your dad's ready to have a heart attack - you know how scared he is? Well obviously you do, otherwise you wouldn't be calling_ me_, would you?"

"Nicholas - phone. Now," Harvey spat, slowing down at the side of the road.

"Look, kiddo - your dad wants to talk to you. Of course I'm with him! He's one step away from breaking down! Well... maybe I'm exaggerating just a tad. Wait - " he paused as Harvey tried to wrestle the phone of him. "Hang on, Harvey!" Nick suddenly turned serious as he started talking to Mike again. "You're okay, right? Nothing broken? And you're _at _Harvard? Good. Swear you're okay? Nothing bad happened?"

Mike must have been getting annoyed and said something that had Nick smirking. "I know! It's awful! Don't worry, I'm definitely going to get help for that. Sounding like my big brother will really kill off my love life," he listened and laughed. "Kid I will _end _you for saying that. At least mine's more existent than Harvey's!"

"Nick," Harvey said - looking slightly more desperate.

"Hey, butt-munch," Harvey couldn't help but smile slightly. Nick and Mike had reached a level of understanding that two good friends would - there were so many casual insults thrown between them Harvey didn't know if they meant it or not. "I'm putting your dad on, okay? What?" He broke into a warm smile. "Love you too. Here, Harv," he passed the phone to Harvey.

"Mikey, are you okay?" Harvey said quickly, not being able to help it. He had been listening to the one sided conversation and assumed Mike had told Nick he was fine. But he needed to hear _Mike _say the words.

_"I'm okay," _he said quietly. _"I just kinda... I know I ran away and everything but I just... I really wanted you here. And _- "

"Mikey we're on our way," Harvey assured him, somehow managing to switch seats with Donna so she was starting the engine as Harvey talked.

_"You're... how long have you been driving for?" _Mike huffed.

"Nearly 2 and a half hours," Harvey replied. "We should be there soon."

_"How much trouble am I in?" _Mike asked resignedly.

"I'll decide when we get there," Harvey told him.

_"I have to go - they want to start showing me round," _Mike said.

"Keep your phone on and I'll call you when we get there. And if you don't pick up..." Harvey said in a warning.

_"I will, I promise," _Mike said.

"Okay - you're sure you're fine?"

_"Yes!"_

"We'll be there soon."

_"Okay... love you."_

Harvey swallowed slightly. "Love you too, kiddo," he hung up the phone and looked over at Donna. "Drive faster."

* * *

><p>Nick was looking around the Dean's office in awe, touching things in a way that had Donna slapping his hands away as he went to touch pricey looking objects. "I can't remember the last time I gave a good time-out," Harvey said significantly to Nick.<p>

"Well I'm sure you can flex your punishment muscles well when Mikey gets here."

They had been shown into the Dean's office and told he would be there momentarily. Apparently, Mike had told him that his Dad _was _on his way. Even before the phone call. Just as Nick was about to prod a stag's head mounted on the wall, the door opened and the Dean came in regally, followed by a very quiet Mike.

"Mr Specter - I can't believe after all these years I never got a letter," the Dean said, chuckling slightly as he shook Harvey's hand.

"Well, sir, I didn't know if it would go down well - after you found me with your daughter, I thought it would be best to fly under the radar," Harvey said almost bashfully, grinning at the Dean as he took his seat behind his desk.

"Yes, they fought me for months over suspending you - Jessica finally called up and set me straight."

"So... you guys don't like each other?" Mike asked curiously from where he had been trying to avoid any attention.

"Not at all, we got along fine - Harvey worked hard... for the most part," he added. "We came to an understanding. But anyway - enough about our history; what do _you _think?"

Mike swallowed as Harvey turned around to appraise him. "Uh... well it's a good school," he said slowly. "And, uh... I'm sorry!" He suddenly babbled. "Please don't be mad, I just wanted to look round, and I knew I'd be safe and I just thought that if I _did _this you'd see more as more than a child and - " he was cut off as Harvey pulled him into a rough hug.

"You do this to me again, you're grounded for life," Harvey told him. "As it is - you're grounded for a month, extra chores and no allowance until..."

"Until he's 18?" Nick offered up from where he was perched on a luxurious couch.

"I thought you were on my side!" Mike whined, admittedly not protesting and hugging Harvey back just as hard.

"Yeah - but I can't have my only nephew disappearing; you know who'll have to deal with Harvey? I don't think I have enough energy for that!"

"Pardon me, gentlemen, but - Harvey you weren't aware he was coming today?" The Dean asked curiously. Mike gave a small 'eep' and moved so that he was behind Harvey, looking around his side slightly and holding his jacket in his hands tightly.

"Unfortunately not," Harvey said, pulling Mike in front of him and clapping both hands on his shoulders. "And while I'm sure Mike would gain an excellent experience attending here, I'm not comfortable with the idea at all."

Mike was going to protest. He had his mouth open and ready. But then he remembered how guilty he had felt all day - how scared he was getting there by himself. And how much better he felt when he knew that Harvey was there. And he knew there was no way Harvey would uproot and move with him to Boston.

"Well unfortunately, we _would _need your permission for him to attend. Is there no way we can come to some sort of agreement?" The Dean asked. "Your son really is a remarkable boy - and he has a sharp legal mind. What were you doing, training him since birth?"

Harvey smirked. "Maybe when he's old enough you'll be lucky to have him as a student. For now, however - he's staying in New York and being around people his own age and having an actual childhood."

"I don't get that anyway," Mike mumbled, not wanting everyone in the room to know about his social problems.

"I'm moving you to Middle School," Harvey told him. "You'll be with kids your own age and we'll have a tutor come round, okay? If you want you can slowly," Harvey placed extra emphasis on 'slowly', "start to work up to whatever kind of qualification you're wanting."

"I really want to go to law school," Mike said in a wavering voice. "And kids my age don't like me."

"And kids older will?" Harvey asked. "Mikey - those kids will love you if you just gave it a chance. Hell, you assume any adult you talk to will be your friend," he saw Mike smile and gave a small smile as well. "What do you say?" He asked. "Will you try this for a while? I'm sure there's no rush to come here."

The Dean shifted and was no doubt going to say something like, 'that's right, but we want you _now _before you're old enough to become a boring old regular student' but didn't say anything as Nick gave a loud sounding cough and a glare in his direction.

Mike sniffed. "But I came all the way out here," he whispered.

"I know," Harvey said soothingly, smoothing down his hair. "Which we will have a very serious discussion about at home. But you have to understand that I'm not going to let you come here. Not yet."

Mike's mouth wobbled but he bit it back and looked at the Dean. "Thanks for showing me around," he said, trying not to let his voice waver. "I'll probably get in touch at some point about coming here. But I guess that won't be for a while," he gave a sheepish smile.

Harvey patted his shoulders approvingly. "Sir," he said, nodding. "Always a pleasure."

The Dean nodded somewhat confusedly as Harvey took Mike's hand and led him out, followed by the red-headed woman who had spent the time glaring at him and finally the man whose pockets were bulging slightly.

* * *

><p>"I hope whatever it is you two are laughing about it funny," Harvey warned to Nick and Mike in the back seat of the car. "It's the last laugh you'll be getting in a while."<p>

"Uncle Nick got some souvenirs," Mike giggled.

"You stole stuff," Harvey translated. "You stole from the Dean of Harvard's office."

"He was a dick," Nick shrugged, looking at the silver ashtray he pulled from his pockets. "How much you reckon I'll get for this?"

"A jail sentence," Harvey suggested. "Nick, come on - what the hell? You're not a thief."

"C'mon, Harv - you telling me that he wasn't annoying you? And what's this with his daughter? Please enlighten me."

"No," Harvey said simply. "Mikey, don't listen to anything Uncle Nick says. Theft is bad."

"Got it," Mike replied, looking out the window. He felt exhausted from the whole day and couldn't work out exactly what he was feeling. He still felt anger at not being allowed to go to Harvard but that was somewhat overwritten by the guilt he felt for leaving. He didn't really think that Harvey would be that bothered. They hadn't been talking and he thought that maybe Harvey didn't really care about him any more...

"I'm sorry," Mike said quietly. "I know it's best if I don't go yet but - I just want my old life back sometimes," Mike closed his eyes, squeezing them tightly shut lest any tears leak out. He felt Nick's arm around him and gave a small sob. "Not that I don't like this life - I wouldn't change it but... sometimes..."

"You want to be an adult," Harvey finished for him. "It's fine, Mike - you're entitled to feel like that, just... next time actually _talk _to me rather than pulling a mute trick and running 200 miles away. Okay?"

Mike nodded quickly, not opening his eyes. "Am I still...?"

"Grounded? Oh yeah," Harvey said. "Good luck seeing the sun. And I don't think you're getting any allowance in case you use it to plan your next holiday. How about trying Oxford? Just make sure you wrap up, I hear England's quite cold sometimes."

This pulled a small giggle from Mike. "I won't go anywhere else. Promise."

"You better," Harvey grumbled.

"Mike, sweetie, how about you try and get some sleep," Donna suggested from the passenger seat. "I don't even want to know what time you got up today."

"I'm not a baby," Mike said sourly. "I don't need a nap."

"If this was all just some huge 'I'm a big boy' protest it's not really working in your favour," Harvey told him. "Get some sleep."

Mike grumbled slightly but very soon the car became quiet and Nick reported that Mike had fallen against him, his head tucked just underneath Nick's chin as he slid over in his sleep.

"You going to send him to school then?" Donna asked quietly as Nick pretty soon joined Mike in the land of nod.

Harvey sighed. "I don't know," he admitted. "It could do more harm than good. What was I thinking, Donna?" He asked. "How am I supposed to look after this kid? I don't have a clue what I'm doing."

"Harvey you're his dad," Donna said sternly. "You _know _what you're doing. Don't worry - ask him what he wants and just figure it out. You haven't gone drastically wrong yet."

He snorted. "Thanks, Donna."

When they finally got back and Harvey had to carry the 12 year old to bed to carry out the rest of his not-nap, he paused as he moved some of Mike's hair off his face. He knew how to do that.

It hit him so hard he felt like sitting down.

Most people who become parents get the basics - keep the kid alive with essential nutrition and shelter; but it was small things like affection that seemed such an integral part of their relationship that Harvey could do well and just without thinking.

Sure the kid might hate him for a while if he stopped him from going to Harvard but Harvey knew there were a hell of a lot more times the kid had loved him than hated him.

Harvey grinned and smoothed Mike's hair back some more.

Maybe he wasn't such a bad dad

* * *

><p><strong>AN I honestly have no idea where any of this was going. COMPLETE plot change than what I was originally typing XD Ah well - hope you enjoyed this one; and I shall try and make a very fluffy, ridiculously happy next chapter :D Review? :)**


	7. Meet The Parents

**Hi people :) I keep feeling like writing angsty chapters but that's harder with older Mike - not everything can be solved with a cuddle ;) But I'm determined to write some fun, mushy fluff so I'm back to my old standby of babbling with mini!Mike in the hopes that it turns into plot :) (It DID turn into a plot! Lucky me :P)**

* * *

><p><em>"Hey, Harv - Mom's not well and she said she wants 'the kids to visit'. I tried telling her that her favourite son was already coming up - that would be<em> me_, by the way -__ but for some reason she laughed. So I think you should bring the munchkin for a visit - we could have a family road trip going home. You know, stay for a few days, beat Dad at poker... What do you say?"_

This was not the sort of phone call Harvey was accustomed to halfway through his workday. It was amazing how different his relationship was with his family since Mike came into his life. He guessed that Nick would now be pretty much a staple part of his life from now on - he could tell the younger man loved being called 'Uncle Nick' - and his parents had always wanted to be grandparents. He knew they would love to meet Mike. They had been dismayed when Nick was the one to tell them Harvey had a kid.

They didn't really know the details. All Nick had said was that Harvey had been granted custody of the rugrat after his mother died - the brothers decided that their parents would be much more accepting of the small boy if they thought Mike was biologically related to them. And to soften their yelling at Harvey, Nick had made it clear that he hadn't know that Mike existed until he got the call about the kid's non-existent mother.

"I don't know, Nick - I know they want to meet Mike but I don't know if he wants to meet them," he said cautiously.

"Who?" Mike's head shot up at his name. "Meet who? Can I meet them? I want to meet them!" Mike babbled happily, pulling at Harvey's knee after climbing out of the playpen that Donna thought would be a good idea for when Harvey was working.

It wasn't.

Nick laughed in Harvey's ear. _"Seems like he wants to meet them."_

"He doesn't even know who it is," Harvey grumbled to his brother before turning to Mike and placing his hand on Mike's head, ruffling his hair softly. "We're talking about my parents, Mike. Nick wants us all to go up and stay with them for a few days."

He had in all honesty expected Mike to go very quiet and shy and mumble something about not being sure. Instead, his eyes lit up and he gasped. "Can we? Please? I want to meet your Mom and Dad! Can we stay overnight? Where do they live? Do they have pets? I want to go! Can I sit with Nick in the car? Can we go now?"

Harvey lifted him onto his knee, mindful of his suit pants and tried to shush him. "Mike, I'm on the phone," he heard Nick laughing and smirked. "Why don't you talk to Uncle Nick for a bit instead?" He passed the phone down to Mike who spent a good ten minutes babbling excited questions to Nick.

_"Mikey, I'm very close to having a burst ear drum," _Nick told him. _"Put your dad back on."_

Mike blushed but passed the phone back up to Harvey. "When did you have in mind?" Harvey asked, feeling quite proud when both Nick and Mike let out excited yells.

* * *

><p>The packed bags were sat next to the door and Mike was determined to put as much in them as possible. "Mike, I packed these," Harvey reminded him tiredly, sipping some coffee. It was too damn early for Mike to be awake and so alert. Harvey had assumed the morning would have gone something like waiting for Nick to arrive and then just putting a sleeping Mike in his car seat and not hearing anything until about 2 hours into the trip.<p>

But it was as if Mike had gotten hold of some coffee before Harvey woke up.

"But you missed things!" Mike complained, trying to reopen the bag.

"Mike, leave it alone - you have clothes, books and toys in there," Harvey told him. "You don't need anything else."

"Except his awesome Uncle Nick," they heard him before they saw him, as he walked in grinning. "Hey - excited?"

"Oh yeah," Harvey grumbled. "He hasn't stopped talking."

Mike launched himself at Nick's knees and hugged them, babbling so quickly that Harvey had no idea what he was saying. It made sense to Nick though - or Nick pretended it made sense to him and he nodded, picking Mike up and bouncing him on his hip. "Now how come my favourite nephew is up this early?"

"It's not early," Mike disagreed.

"I think it is," Nick countered. "You planning on sleeping on the way? Cause I know I am."

"You're tired?" Mike asked, rubbing at his own eyes. Nick had been systematically moving him in a soothing way and keeping his voice low and soft.

"You bet. I was up all night cause I was so excited and then this morning I woke up really early and jumped on Harvey's bed until he woke up. Wait..." Nick appeared to be thinking hard. "That was you," Mike blushed. "I'm right, aren't I?" Nick said, grinning smugly. "After all that - you don't feel tired?" Nick yawned, prompting Mike to copy.

"Weak mind games, little brother," Harvey said, leaning against the counter.

To Harvey's surprise however, Mike ended up laying his head on Nick's shoulder and closing his eyes tiredly.

"Of course he behaves for you," Harvey grumbled, finishing off his coffee.

"Just admit that I'm amazing," Nick grinned. "Don't sweat it, Harv - we both know who he prefers," as if to cement this, Mike's eyes opened and he reached his arms out to Harvey. "See?" Nick grinned, passing Mike over.

Harvey rubbed at his back. "Tired boy, huh?" He said softly.

"Not tired, just..." Mike couldn't think of what else he could be and just decided to whine instead. "It's too early."

"And you must be bipolar because you were running around just a few minutes ago," Harvey replied. "Nicky, will you grab some of the bags? I've got my hands full of toddler."

Nick sniggered but nodded, and soon all the bags were in the car. "Let's get this show on the road!" Nick proclaimed eagerly as Harvey strapped Mike into his seat.

Mike immediately started wriggling. "It's not comfy!" Harvey sighed and just strapped himself in, as Nick turned around in his seat.

"Hang on, super Uncle to the rescue!" He pulled a rubix cube out of his bag. "Here ya go, squirt." Mike looked at him with an almost 'bitch please' face. "What?"

"I memorised how to do these like... ages ago," Mike informed him, yawning again.

"Get the one out of my bag," Harvey said to Nick, looking each way down a street before turning the car.

"What, cause you're his dad he'll want to use yours instead?" Nick sniped.

"Just do it," Harvey rolled his eyes as he they moved onto the highway. Nick grumbled but found the cube and pulled it out.

"A sudoku cube?" Mike said, sounding hesitantly delighted as he looked at it. Nick messed it up thoroughly and passed it to him, resting back in the chair as Mike fell silent, trying to complete the cube.

"You always bring along extra toys on car journeys?" Nick asked with his eyes closed.

"Usually," Harvey answered. "And CD's."

Nick reopened his eyes and sat up. "Awesome, what music?"

"Nothing you'll be interested in," Harvey smirked. "It's if he's stubborn about sleeping. Or if I want him to sleep."

"So... even if he's wide awake these help him sleep?"

Harvey glanced at Mike in the mirror and saw he was engrossed in the cube. "Shut up - if he catches on he won't listen to them."

Nick slumped in his seat before checking in the glove compartment. "What is this? 'The Seashore'? What, does it just play wave sounds or something?"

"Yeah, because all I want him to do is feel seasick and have an accident," Harvey rolled his eyes. "It works, trust me. I've told him it helps him with concentration."

"What does it do?" Nick asked, intrigued.

"It's like a story - it makes them close their eyes and think about all these things it talks about. You know, building sandcastles and riding dolphins."

"I didn't know that was such a common thing at a beach," Nick smirked, shaking his head and looking through the rest of the CDs. "'Lullaby Classics', really?"

"He's 3," Harvey defended himself. "And he loves it - if he's already tired."

"Right," Nick looked at the last one he found. "'Goodnight, Sleep Tight'. Sounds like a hoot."

"Well if he's screaming in your ear because he doesn't want to sleep or if he doesn't feel well, you'll be glad these CDs are here," Harvey told him.

"Wow, that makes it sound like you've been through that before," Nick said, looking at Mike warily.

"Believe it or not, he behaves when we have guests. You should see his tantrums sometimes."

"Bags not sleeping in the same room as him. Actually, I bags my old room. I hope Mom hasn't found my stash of food and thrown it out."

"You had a stash of food?" Harvey asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You know, just candy or sugary crap in wrappers."

"How are you so slim?"

"Well you might have gotten some of the brains, big brother - but I think you'll agree when I say that I definitely got pushed in the beauty end of the gene pool."

"I'm sorry you didn't drown in it, what with that massive head of yours," Harvey replied, looking in the mirror again. "How's the cube coming?" He asked Mike.

"Nearly finished," Mike said, yawning and blinking.

"See - these CDs are a godsend," Harvey informed Nick, slotting in the 'Goodnight, Sleep Tight' one. "He'll be whining as soon as he's finished. But with _this_..." Harvey pressed play and saw in the mirror that Mike looked up. "Thought I'd put in one of your CDs, kiddo," Harvey said conversationally. "Easy listening for so early on a morning."

He saw Mike nod and look back down at his cube but within minutes they heard the _thunk _of the cube hitting the floor as it fell out of Mike's hands as he fell asleep to the calming tunes softly playing inside the car. Harvey raised his eyebrows at Nick.

"See?"

"Uh-huh. So... when he finds out that you're using them to make him sleepy when it suits _you_..." Nick said slowly.

"He won't."

"'Cause you know, I bet if you let some carbon monoxide in here, it'll work just as well - "

"Nick."

"Or just dose him up before leaving the house - "

"Nick..."

"Or just let him run around for about 3 hours and _then _put him in the car - "

"Nick I will quite happily let you _walk _to Mom and Dad's," Harvey assured him. Nick rolled his eyes but mimed zipping his mouth closed. "Good - don't be loud. You wake up the kid and I will kill you."

"So loving," Nick swept an imaginary tear from his cheek with a finger.

"You think I want him screaming in my ears all the way there if he doesn't get enough sleep?"

"I'm assuming that's rhetorical."

"Shut up or I'll put the Seashore CD on and make you visualise things."

"I'd rather not."

"Then shut it."

* * *

><p>They thankfully managed to get through the car journey without much incident and after a while, pulled up on the large, earthy driveway of the Specter house. No one could tell from Harvey's demeanour, but he had grown up on what was basically a ranch. They had a large house next to some forest area and his father had decided to buy some of the open field on the other side of the house and buy some horses. Their mother had thrown a fit at the time - how was she expected to feed more than the mouths already expecting it? But they did well off his dad's horses and Harvey wasn't sure even now if they had more money than him or not.<p>

"Up we get, kiddo," Harvey said, unstrapping Mike and holding him for a minute to see if he would prefer to walk or be carried. Mike rubbed at his eyes some more before gazing around.

"You have horses," Mike said with wide eyes, taking in the sight of the fields surrounding them, before looking in the opposite direction. "And a forest! Did you ever go in?"

"Sometimes," Harvey replied. "But _only _with adult supervision."

"I get it," Mike muttered, nudging Harvey slightly.

"Boys!"

All three of them (Nick was stretching while Mike had been gazing around but quickly straightened up) turned around to see a man and a woman stood on the porch of the house. Harvey smirked and bounced Mike reassuringly.

"Ready?" He asked as they all started walking up, the bags lying forgotten in the car for that moment.

"Mhmm," Mike squeaked, clutching at Harvey. He _was _looking forward to this weekend but there were so many things he was afraid of.

Kathleen Specter was a sturdy looking woman who was rarely put off or made speechless, and her brown eyes crinkled when she was happy; much like Harvey's. Her soft blonde hair was cut into a maternal looking bob and she was currently wiping her wet hands off an apron that was covered in flour. Next to her was the head of the small family, Victor Specter; his eyes held none of the coldness Harvey's sometimes did and when he smiled Mike could see the resemblance.

Nick reached their parents first and was pulled into a warm embrace by their mother, who clucked at him for being 'too skinny'. He was quickly passed off to their dad so she could see Harvey and Mike.

"Harvey - you should call more," was the first thing she said to him disapprovingly.

"Sorry," he gave her a small smile. "I've been busy."

"Well obviously; I just wish I could have been there to laugh for all the 3 am feedings. But you didn't get that?" She looked sad and Harvey remembered what Nick had told her.

"Didn't know he existed till his Mom..." He paused. "But I've got him now. And I wouldn't change it," he was saying this to her, but knew that Mike understood he was saying it to him as well. Kathleen hummed in a 'we'll talk later' way and looked at Mike, smiling softly.

"So who's this lovely chap then?" She asked.

"This is Mike," Harvey introduced slowly, worried about Mike's grip on him. "Mikey, this is my Mom. You can call her Kathleen if you want, but I'm sure she'd prefer Grandma," he and Mike had talked about how he would want to address her. He already had a Grammy and wasn't sure how he would react to another one.

"Harvey," she tutted at his offer of calling her by her first name but beamed at Mike. "Well, sweetie, better late than never, huh?" She took him out of Harvey's arms surprisingly easily considering he seemed to be refusing to let go. He gave a slightly startled wail and held his arms out to Harvey for a second.

Harvey started feeling uncomfortable. "Mom, maybe I should - "

"Now then, sweetie - I know you obviously want to be with your Daddy, but can I at least say hello? Don't worry, I've held my share of kids. Why, just last week one of Vic's old friends came by with his grandson. Vic," she said, as if suddenly remembering her husband was there. "Vic come meet Mike."

He was already at her shoulder, smiling down at Mike in a warm way that reminded him of Harvey. He stopped wriggling and gazed up at the man. "Good to meet you, Mike," the man smiled and Mike was pretty sure he had quite moist eyes. "I guess I'm your Grandpa, huh?"

"Look at that, Vic," Kathleen said, bouncing Mike slightly. "He's got your eyes."

"And your hair," Vic agreed, and soon they were chattering about what Mike had of whom.

Nick sniggered and was elbowed in the side by Harvey. "Boys if you fight then I'll take this sweet child inside and lock the door and he can have your food and you can stay outside all night," Kathleen said in a firey way that reminded Mike of Donna.

He was hit with a small pang of sadness. He missed Donna. She was the definite maternal figure in his life and he really wanted to be with her right now. Although he _did _like Kathleen - and Vic - he wanted Donna.

Mike started sucking his thumb nervously, glancing over at Harvey. He couldn't help but say in a wobbly voice; "Want Donna."

"How about we go inside?" Harvey suggested quickly. "Let him get used to the house and then try to make friends - don't worry about it," he tried to assure his mother. "He's nervous when it comes to strangers."

On the contrary, Mike _loved _meeting new people. But he was more nervous _now _because it was Harvey's parents. His lawful grandparents and he didn't want to screw it up, but was also worried they wouldn't like him, or they'd find out he wasn't _really _related to them.

"In that case, Mike," Kathleen said, sweeping inside. "How about your Daddy and Uncle get the bags and you come with me to get a fresh baked cookie?" Mike almost salivated right there and then at the words and was quite happily taken inside as Harvey rolled his eyes and greeted his father properly.

"So your mother is quite besotted with him," Vic said, a twinkle in his eye.

"Mike finds it easy to win people over without trying," Harvey grinned.

"Well he _is_ a sweet boy," Vic agreed. "Come on, if your mother isn't crying now she's alone I'll eat her apron."

* * *

><p>Vic didn't even have to end up eating Kathleen's apron because he was right. She was sniffing as she watched Mike curiously wander the large, spacious kitchen, opening drawers and cupboard whilst eating a large warm cookie.<p>

"Ah, Kat," Vic said, putting his arm around her. "You wouldn't be getting sentimental, would you?"

"Don't call me Kat," she said half heartedly - something Harvey and Nick had heard over most of their childhoods and at no point had he ever stopped. "Well he's just adorable. He thanked me," she nodded to Harvey, clearly praising him for his parenting skills, "for the cookie. And then I told him he could look around."

"You don't want to do that," Harvey smiled. "He'll get into everything. Mike," he said, waiting for Mike to look around. "C'mere," he held his arms open slightly and Mike went over, smiling at Harvey as he was picked up. "Mom, do you still have those old toys you'll never get rid of?" Harvey asked, smirking.

"Your father already got them out from the attic," she said. "They're in the living room."

"You heard her," he said to Mike. "Go on," he put him back on the floor and gently nudged him in the right direction.

"He'll probably break them all in the first few minutes," Nick informed them - clearly not having gotten over when Mike accidentally broke the toy car Nick had bought him.

"Uncle Nick's eating all the cookies," Mike said over his shoulder as payback as he walked towards the living room. They all turned to see Nick grinning slightly, shaking his head.

"That kid."

Harvey smirked but grabbed a cookie out of his brother's hands.

"Vic, get the camera!" Kathleen insisted, shooing him as she quickly followed Mike. She sat on the couch as Mike eagerly dived into the large box of toys. He had toys at home, sure - toys practically coming from his ears - but new ones always excited him. He sometimes became worried when he played with toys but most of the time put the fear aside when he saw the way Harvey's face lit up when he started playing. Harvey wanted him to have as much of a normal childhood as possible.

"Kat, I have no idea where you put it," Vic said as the rest of them followed into the living room. Harvey and Nick immediately became sidetracked by a complete change in decoration and structure of the room and Vic decided to walk them through it.

Mike looked over at Harvey and saw he was busy. Usually, if he wasn't working on anything, he would get Harvey to join in. It must be his toddler brain, but the games usually only made sense to him; at some point the same thing happened when they had been visiting his Grammy, but she had understood perfectly. When Harvey asked her how she knew she just smiled and replied that she'd had experience.

So Mike figured his other Grandma would have experience too. He buried deep into the box and found another box containing worn out wooden blocks - he quickly pulled them out and emptied them on the floor. He looked over at Harvey shyly as the resounding crash made all the Specter men jump but soon fixated on Kathleen. He got up and gave her a big beam, pulling on her hand. She wasn't as old as his Grammy so he didn't think she would mind getting on the floor.

In fact, she smiled back and got straight on the floor, being very patient as Mike stacked some blocks in her lap and didn't complain when he decided to change the game completely and find an old stuffed bear to his delight. He suddenly frowned however.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Kathleen asked warmly - and the way she could pick up that something was wrong with only the fraction of a frown to guide her made him like her even more.

"I think I forgot Harvey," his voice wobbled as he said it. Without having a clue what he was talking about, Kathleen pulled him into her lap. She smiled as he nuzzled into her neck, even though he was sniffing.

"What did you do?" Vic asked, sighing but still with a twinkle in his eye - he knew she would never do anything to hurt the small boy. Harvey and Nick looked around as well.

"Hey," Harvey went over and touched Mike on the head. "What's up?"

"I forgot Harvey," Mike said, hiccuping slightly.

Harvey smiled and ruffled his hair. "No you didn't, he's in your bag."

"Both of them?" Mike asked.

"Both of them," Harvey said firmly. "He has a teddy and a toy sea lion and he called both of them 'Harvey'," he confided to his parents.

"Vic, we're keeping him," Kathleen said, rubbing Mike's back. Mike gave a small giggle. "I mean it, mister - you're going to live with us now instead; you can help your Grandpa with the horses - we need a strong young man back in the house now these two vagabonds have left."

"Well, Ma, I would've helped but you know how I feel about horses," Nick grinned at her. "And I get really bad allergic reactions to them."

"Nicholas Specter do not lie to me," Kathleen warned, standing up and rocking Mike softly. "The boy who has been riding horses his entire life?"

"It was worth a try," he muttered. "Come on then, Pop, lets see what needs doing," Nick pretended to be grumbling but they all knew he was happy going out to work the horses and help with the stables.

"Mike, you want to go with Uncle Nick?" Harvey asked, even though he was pleased that Mike looked quite content in his grandmother's arms.

"I don't know," he mumbled softly. "Never been around horses before..."

"You'll like it," Harvey assured him, taking him from Kathleen's embrace. "C'mon, kiddo - are you okay? You tired?" Mike shrugged, happy to be back in Harvey's arms. Harvey checked the clock. It was half past 2 and Mike had gotten maybe an extra two hours sleep in the car - equalling the usual amount of sleep he got at night anyway.

"How about we go look at the horses and then come back here for a nap, hmm?" Harvey suggested, trying to ignore his mother who seemed overjoyed that her eldest was looking and sounding like a dad.

"Don't want a nap," Mike whined, showing how much he needed one.

"Okay - well how about we go outside instead?" Harvey asked, walking outside anyway. Mike glanced about everywhere, as if trying to pick up every single detail to make a map in his mind - which would probably be about right. "This is Dad's field," Harvey explained as they walked over; and Mike could see Harvey's dad and Nick out in the field. Mike's eyes widened as they got in closer and Nick held a brown horse on a lead rope, jogging over so that the horse was trotting.

"Hey, kiddo - wanted to see the horses?"

"I guess..." Mike said nervously. The horse whinnied slightly and ducked it's head, eager to meet this new person. It crept forward and nudged at Mike with it's velvety muzzle, making him panic and try to climb over Harvey's shoulder.

"Woah, Mike - take it easy," Harvey said, clutching at Mike tightly. "It's fine, she won't do anything. C'mere," he took Mike's small hand in his own and slowly went to pet the horse's nose. "It's okay," he said soothingly. "It's alright - look, she's fine."

Under Harvey's hand, Mike hesitantly touched the horse, relaxing as she just stood there, letting him. He gave a small breath out and laughed slightly. The sound of a shutter going startled them all slightly and Harvey turned to see that his father had apparently found the camera. Mike withdrew his hand from the horse's muzzle shyly and glanced up at Harvey, who smiled. "How many pictures will you have taken before this weekend is over?" Harvey asked, rolling his eyes.

"Enough," he replied, smiling. "Do you think Mike wants a ride?" The sudden tight clutch of Mike's hands on his shirt told Harvey exactly what the kid thought of that idea.

"I don't think so."

"Aw, c'mon, Harv - let the kid have some fun!" Nick called to him. "Or, come and help me muck out."

Mike couldn't help but smirk against Harvey's neck as he thought of him helping to clean out a stable. "Maybe when Mike's down for his nap," Harvey replied.

"I don't want a nap!" He whined. Harvey was well used to this and simply smiled at the others.

"I'll be back out in a bit," he told them, going back inside.

"Please, Harvey!" Mike whined. "I don't want a nap!"

"You know you're tired," Harvey told him, rolling his eyes as he sat down on the couch. Mike moved and planted himself against Harvey's chest, sucking his thumb. Harvey started rocking. "What do you think?"

"I like them," Mike murmured. "They're great."

"They'll spoil you rotten," Harvey muttered with a smile.

"They don't like me," Mike whimpered.

"What?" Harvey started rocking a bit more. "They love you more than me and Nick combined."

"I haven't tried to talk to them," Mike said softly.

"You're tired, they know that. It's fine to be shy, Mike," Harvey reminded him, sighing. "Come on - go to sleep and then you'll be back to your over-excitable self."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Mike snuffled. He shuffled around. "Don't want to sleep, Daddy..."

Harvey sighed and sat back on the couch, supporting Mike as the small boy leant on top of him. They were almost stomach to stomach, with Mike's head resting underneath Harvey's chin. He was still sucking his thumb and every so often shuffled slightly, before Harvey shushed him back into silence. He rubbed at Mike's back with one hand as the other rested on his backside, much like holding an infant. Harvey let his cheek rest on Mike's head occasionally, humming to fill the silent room - he usually started humming to set Mike off to sleep and just kept going even when it was obvious the kid had fallen asleep.

He wasn't even really sure what he was humming. At some point he thought it might be 'Greensleeves' of all things before slipping into an old jazz tune that was soothing even him. He still continued rubbing Mike's back, and was bobbing his knees slightly to bounce Mike slowly up and down.

Before too long he was quietly singing 'Hushabye Mountain', rocking slightly. He didn't know why he still felt like soothing Mike to sleep when the kid was clearly out of it but Harvey just wanted... he liked the closeness, and it felt nice to have their bodies so warm and together.

"Harvey?" He glanced up and saw his mother stood there. She smiled at him and sat next to him, lovingly running her fingers through Mike's hair.

"If you get the camera out I'll have to stand on it," he told her quietly, still not stopping rubbing Mike's back.

She smirked at him. "You look so happy," she told him. "I'm glad."

"Good," Harvey replied, resting his head back and closing his eyes, as the warmth started making him sleepy.

"Do you want waking up?" Kathleen asked, standing up and planting a kiss on his forehead.

"I've got an alarm clock," he told her, patting Mike.

"Okay," she smiled and turned the light off.

* * *

><p>As expected, Mike woke Harvey up and then scrambled off his lap, running into the kitchen to a bemused set of grandparents. Nick was used to it and simply kept drinking the coffee he had in his hands. "It's not that he's got a mental illness," Nick told them as Mike came in. "He just gets excited. And happy. And uh... <em>very<em> happy after naps."

"Uncle Nick is just being an idiot," Harvey said, walking in afterwards, trying to flatten down his hair. "Mikey does not have any sort of mental illness."

"I _said _that!" Nick cried out.

"You said it in a sarcastic way," Harvey replied. "It doesn't count."

"Boys, behave," Kathleen said, passing Harvey a cup of coffee. "Mike, sweetie - want a drink? Huh? I've got a baba of juice?"

Mike looked over to Harvey, a pained expression on his face. "You don't need to talk like that," Harvey said, smirking slightly. "He's a smart kid."

"I'm sure he is," Vic said, putting a hand on Kathleen's shoulder.

"I am!" Mike said, only letting go of Harvey to get closer to his grandparents - before quickly clutching onto Nick. "Ask me _anything_!"

Kathleen and Vic laughed. "What would you like for dinner?" Kathleen asked, smiling at him.

"I think he wants whatever the horses are having," Nick smirked, throwing Mike up in the air slightly. "I know Harvey feeds him straw and keeps him chained up in the basement."

"I'm not a monster!" Mike cried out delightedly as Harvey watched with a strained face as Nick threw him around.

"Harvey," Kathleen beckoned him over whilst Vic joined in with Mike and Nick, growling at a delighted Mike who hadn't had someone completely give in to playing with him apart from Nick in ages - Harvey; as good a dad as he was, couldn't really find it within himself to join in with things like that. Harvey went over to his mother, drying dishes she started to pass to him. "How smart is he?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" Harvey asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"He speaks _much _better than any 3 year old I know. And he just seems... I don't know. Older."

"Does that look like an older person?" Harvey asked sarcastically, nodding in the direction of Mike who was giggling hysterically as Vic started tickling him.

"I know what I mean," Kathleen said, shaking her head. "It doesn't matter. He just seems..."

"He's smart," Harvey told her. "Really smart. He can read and has an eidetic memory so he can remember everything he's read - he likes going to work with me and listening to different cases; he can argue with the best of them. But he also needs pull-ups when he goes to bed and needs to be read a story. He's still a kid."

Kathleen gazed wordlessly at her genius of a grandson. "And was his mother just as smart?"

"I asked him that!" Nick yelled over, as Mike was following Vic outside to see the large sunflowers he was going to water. "Mikey clearly didn't get his brains from his dad."

Harvey gave him a not so playful noogie as he answered his mother. "She was smart. A lawyer."

"Of _course _she was a lawyer," Nick scoffed. "Who else would you go for?"

"And... was he... planned?" Kathleen asked delicately.

"You think I would've been out of his life for nearly 3 years if I'd known about him?" He asked her. "She left - and then I got the call a few months ago."

"Was it a shock?"

"No, Mom, I was expecting it," he rolled his eyes at her.

"Don't sass me," she grumbled, flapping a tea towel at him. "If you've only had him a few months, how is he so attached to you already?"

"'Cause he's a good dad," Nick said, wandering outside to join his dad and Mike.

Harvey grinned. "What he said," he tilted his head before giving his mother a kiss on the cheek. "Relax, Mom - it was a bit hard for him at first but after 2 weeks..." Harvey wasn't sure if he was still using his cover or not. "He was already calling me 'Daddy'."

"And does he miss his Mom?" She asked.

"Of course," Harvey told her. "But Donna's helping. She's been practically a second mother to the kid."

"Daddy!" Mike skidded back inside and pulled on his hand. "Come see Grandpa's sunflowers! They're taller than _me_!"

Harvey smiled at his mother. "I'm coming - has he shown you the ducks yet?" Mike shook his head. "We'll go see them after dinner - Mom, you got any spare bread?"

"I'm sure I can find some," she told him. "Here you go, sweetie," she bent to give Mike a carton of juice.

"Thank you," he said sweetly, sipping it before pulling on Harvey's hand some more. "Come _on_!"

* * *

><p>"Mike, don't get too near the pond," Harvey instructed him as they walked through some of the woodland near the house. It was late afternoon but still warm, and the sickly smell of honeysuckle that was climbing some trees wafted through the clearing. Mike was excited but had to be carried for the last part of the journey, worn out from the walking.<p>

"I won't," he promised. "Can I throw some bread now?"

"If Nick hasn't eaten it all," Harvey said, glancing over at his brother.

"Hey, I haven't eaten any of it!" Nick argued, passing Mike a piece of bread. Harvey let him get down on the floor and Mike leant as far over the pond as he dared, clutching onto his Grandma's skirt as he did so. He threw some bread, pulling off small bits as he went along and putting them in his mouth when no one was looking. He looked round and saw that Harvey wasn't participating, just standing back and watching Mike stood back and ran over, pulling him to the pond.

"You have to do it too!" Mike insisted, giving him some bread. Harvey smiled at him but threw some bread in, watching as the ducks swarmed over to eat it. Before too long, Mike was back in Harvey's arms and snuggled contentedly as he watched Nick chase some ducks.

"Really," Kathleen tutted. "I don't know who's actually younger; Nick or Mikey."

Mike smiled slightly and started sucking his thumb, not surprised when Harvey hooked it out. "No," he said firmly. "We don't suck our thumbs, remember?"

"Well you might not but I do," Mike muttered, stuffing it in his mouth before Harvey could grasp it again. Harvey let out an irritated huff but didn't do anything; just jogged Mike slightly and patted his back.

"Well you know, kids only suck their thumbs when they're tired," Harvey said as they slowly started walking back now that all the bread was gone and Nick's feet were wet.

"Story?" Mike asked hopefully.

"Bath?" Harvey countered, smirking as Mike whined. "He doesn't like baths," he told his mother, hoping for back up to convince Mike that baths were good.

"Just like your Daddy," she said to Mike, causing Harvey to close his eyes slightly. _This _was one of the reasons he'd put off Mike meeting his parents. "When _he_ was a big boy of 3 he hated baths so much; he used to hide every time he heard the bath running."

Mike giggled and looked up at Harvey with twinkling eyes.

"One time I'd managed to get him ready but just as he was about to get in the phone started ringing. So I went to answer it and he ran away and hid in the stables. Without his clothes on."

Mike started giggling harder, pulling his thumb out of his mouth to try and cup his hand to stop the sounds becoming too loud. He didn't managed, and peals of laughter were heard all the way back to the house.

"Thanks, Mom," Harvey groaned.

"Yeah, thanks," Nick said in a much happier voice.

"I will sue you," Harvey told him, moving Mike to a different position against him so that he could open the door.

"Well then I'll have Mike as my lawyer," Nick told him, watching the toddler's eyes light up as he suggested this.

Harvey sighed playfully. "I give in. I will not let my winning streak be beaten."

Mike giggled adorably.

* * *

><p>The weekend passed in the best way Harvey had hoped. He had readied himself for all sorts of scenarios - tantrums (he had been working on new techniques to deal with them with which he could impress his parents but Mike had been suspiciously well behaved), Mike being shy (he had been worried for the first few hours on their first day but a nap had done wonders) or even his parents not really liking Mike (and that was almost impossible, he wasn't really sure why he had worried about that).<p>

He had been put off a few times when he could feel his family watched as he interacted with Mike - the bedtime story in particular was hard to get through - but Mike was so at ease with his new grandparents that Harvey didn't mind.

An hour or so before they planned on going back to New York, Mike was sat on a large hay bale in the stable, watching as Nick saddled a horse for his last ride before they left. "What's it called?" Mike asked. "The horse?"

"This one?" Nick patted the horse's brown neck and Mike smiled as the horse tried to nuzzle his hand. It was the same one that he had brought over the first day. "This is Lucy."

"Lucy?" Mike questioned.

"It was her name when Dad bought her as a foal, I didn't want to change it."

"Is she your horse?" Mike asked, watching the way man and horse interacted.

"Yep - I was 13 when he bought her; she's getting on now but she's still the best horse _in_ the world," he told Mike. "Want a ride?"

Mike looked around the stable as he thought. "Who's horse is that?" Nick smiled and took Mike's hand, lifting him up so he could see into the stable box. The horse looked up, swinging it's head slightly, it's grey mane flicking delicately.

"That's Bart," Nick told him. "He was Harvey's."

"Was?" Mike asked, feeling brave enough to stroke the muzzle of the horse.

"Well, he doesn't really come down to visit any more and when he does he doesn't ride."

"Why not?" Mike asked, feeling sad as the horse nuzzled his hand as if it didn't get human contact any more.

"He hurt his knee," Nick shrugged. "Nothing major but he can't really ride any more."

"Does he still get ridden?" Mike asked as Nick opened the stall to let Bart out.

"Oh yeah," Nick assured him. "In fact, how about you ride him?"

"No, no, I'm good," Mike said in a rush, trying to wriggle out of Nick's arms.

"Don't worry, kiddo," Nick said. "We have saddles to fit even the tiniest of asses." Mike snorted, regardless of the situation and watched as Nick put a saddle on Bart with a lead rope around his bridle. "Come on," Nick said, placing Mike on the saddle. He clung to the front of the saddle as Nick slowly walked both horses out of the stable. He took off Lucy's bridle and let her wander the field as he slowly walked Bart around.

"You doing alright up there, kiddo?" He asked, glancing up. Mike nodded, gripping the saddle tightly as the horse rocked back and forth in it's movement.

"Nick!" Harvey strode over, his hands in his pockets. "There a reason he's not wearing a helmet?"

"He's got a hard head?" Nick suggested. "Lighten up, Harv - it's Bart, the only thing that would make him bolt would be if a bomb detonated under his feet. Maybe not even then."

Harvey glared at him and walked to the stable. He was back soon with a helmet and slid it onto Mike's head. "Even so," he said to Nick, taking the rope out of his hands. "Go for a short ride, we're leaving soon."

Nick smiled at him and bounced off to Lucy who nuzzled at him when he produced a carrot from his pocket and fed her it.

"You okay up there?" Harvey asked Mike as he tightened the helmet. Mike nodded and gripped the saddle. "Okay. C'mon, Bart," he started walking - exactly what Nick had been doing but it seemed different. The horse wasn't swaying as much and Mike felt confident enough to take his hands off, simply resting them on the horse's lower neck.

"Can I go faster?" He asked.

"Not today, buddy," Harvey replied. "Maybe when you're older."

Mike pouted but was content to being taken round in a gentle walk, smiling as the horse seemed delighted to be reunited with it's original rider.

"Can we come visit again?" Mike asked - or begged, he wasn't sure.

"I think Grandma and Grandpa will kill me if we don't," Harvey told him, walking him back to the stable and lifting him down, taking out a sugar lump and holding it under Bart's muzzle. He unclipped Mike's helmet and put it back on a shelf, taking Mike's hand.

"I like it here," Mike told him as they wandered back - Harvey reminding Nick they had to leave soon as he trotted around the field.

"I'm glad," Harvey replied, checking off items and hoping he hadn't forgotten any - the last thing he needed was a screaming tantrum halfway home because he'd forgotten to pack Harvey-bear. He hoped Nick hadn't hidden any of those CD's either...

"Can I ride a horse again?" He asked as they came to the house.

"You liked it?" Harvey asked, surprised. The first time the kid made contact with Lucy he tried to climb Harvey like a tree.

"It was fun," Mike said, shrugging.

"Okay, we'll see if we can find a smaller horse next time," Harvey said, a smile tugging at the edges of his mouth; the sight of the tiny boy on the large horse filled his heart with both humour and absolute terror - not that he would admit that to anyone.

"But I like Bart!" Mike whined. "Please, Daddy?"

"We'll see," Harvey replied, smiling at his parents as they came into the living room, looking at the packed bags around them. "Hey. We're nearly ready to go - just waiting for Nick to say bye to Lucy."

"I rode Bart!" Mike said excitedly. "Did you see?"

"Of course," Kathleen said. "Grandpa took pictures."

Harvey groaned. "How many pictures am I going to get in the mail over the next week?"

"Not many good ones if they had your face in them," Nick sniggered as he joined them. Harvey hit him on the shoulder and instructed him to take the bags back to the car.

"Bye, Harvey," Kathleen said, hugging him. "You better call more often! And come visit!"

"I will," he promised, rolling his eyes as he said goodbye to his father. Mike was swept into a giant hug by Kathleen.

"Goodbye, Mikey," she said, cuddling him. "You have fun, now. And you just call us if your Daddy is being mean!"

"I will," Mike giggled. "But Daddy's never mean," Harvey chuckled at this, remembering times when Mike had yelled that he had hated him, and that he was being a _mean _Daddy - often this was when he had his back to the room and facing the corner.

"Goodbye, Parents!" Nick said dramatically. "I know, it's always heart wrenching to send your baby son off into the wilds with just his evil older brother and his spawn, but don't worry! I'll survive!"

"I'm sure you will," Kathleen replied, rolling her eyes at her youngest's dramatics but pulled him into a tight hug as Harvey positioned Mike on his hip for the short walk back to the car.

"Bye, Ma," Nick said with a cheeky grin, before turning to Vic. "Bye, Dad - don't buy too many toys for the runt," he told him. "He breaks them."

"That was _once_!" Mike wailed.

"He's kidding," Harvey shushed him, jogging him on his hip. "Okay, we have to go. Bye," he smiled at his parents one last time and accepted another hug from his mother before they made their way down to the car. Nick and Mike waved through the windows as Harvey started driving and soon the house was out of sight.

"I want to go back," Mike pouted, causing Harvey to instantly direct Nick to his back and pull out Harvey-bear. With the bear in his arms, Mike fell asleep quickly, chewing on the ear.

"God I love that kid," Nick chuckled. "He can make something as disgusting as a slobbery, raggedy ear adorable."

Harvey snorted. "What, you hoping to pick up some tips?" He asked.

"It can't hurt," Nick told him. "I mean, you'd let me off for anything!"

"What have you done?" Harvey asked guardedly.

"Nothing," Nick said innocently. "I uh... I might have accidentally lost your sleep CD's, but that's a blessing rather than anything, I mean - you can't tell me you didn't hate them!"

Harvey growled and his hands on the steering wheel tightened. "They actually made me sane some days. If we need them on this trip I am _throwing _you out of the car for his entertainment. Or making you sing."

"Hey, I have a lovely singing voice, and - " Harvey clapped a hand round his mouth as Mike shuffled, making a small noise in his sleep. They both froze before Mike fell into silence again. "Yeah, I know I said I love the kid, but not so much that I won't throw _him_ out of the car if he starts screaming," Nick whispered, slouching in his seat.

"You touch my kid and I'll feed you to Donna," Harvey growled.

"Sorry," he said, not meaning it.

Harvey shrugged. "It's fine. If he starts screaming I'm leaving him at the first service station we come across."

* * *

><p><strong>AN Oh Harvey, you know you love him really. So... long chapter was long - I THOUGHT there would be plot but there really wasn't that much XD My apologies - hope you enjoyed though :) Review?**

**Oh, and just in case you were wondering what the horses looked like (delete spaces):**

**Lucy: http:/www . samariacreekmorgans . com . au/images/OurHorses _ Folie . gif**

**Bart: http:/www . highoffleystud . co . uk/images/Eighteen-SportHorse . JPG**


	8. Nightmare On Specter Street

**Hi people :) So... who's ready for angst? I have angst here if you want it :D I'm writing this before the chapter so I may have to edit this slightly if I haven't put in enough angst as I would like :P  
>Edit: Umm... so this turned DARK : My apologies. God I think there's something wrong with me...**

**WARNINGS here for bus violence (if that's a real thing) and GORE. If anyone doesn't like the imagery of a bad crash... don't read :P**

* * *

><p>"Mike... aren't you forgetting something?"<p>

Mike looked up from his backpack to see Harvey holding a slip of paper in his fingers, raising his eyebrows. He grinned sheepishly and took it, putting it in a safe pocket of his bag. "Thanks."

"How is it that you can remember - "

"It's not the same thing," Mike cut him off before he even had a chance; already knowing what Harvey was going to say. "You did sign it, right?"

"No, I thought I would just give you it back unsigned to make you cry," Harvey said, rolling his eyes. "You've been talking about this for weeks," he said, grabbing his briefcase. "I'm not so mean that I wouldn't let you go."

"Remember when we went?" Mike asked, a slightly dopey smile on his face as he reminisced.

"Yes, you spilt ice cream down my pants," Harvey muttered, quickly drinking some coffee before he had to leave.

"Do you just remember everything through clothing related incidents?" Mike asked, smirking.

"Pretty much. Seem to remember you wanting to sit in the splash zone to try and hide the fact that your pants were already - "

"I was 4!" Mike defended, blushing. "It could've happened to anyone."

"You were walking around in just a pair of pull-ups for the rest of the day..." Harvey remembered, smirking and shaking his head. "Okay, I've got to go - have fun at the marine centre. You get back at 5, right?" Mike nodded. "Just come to the firm if you feel like it, I feel like leaving early today."

"Okay," Mike said, shouldering his backpack before quickly hugging Harvey. "Bye, Dad."

"See you later, kiddo," Harvey replied, ruffling his hair before leaving. Mike was 15 but went to NYU, meaning he only needed to get the subway then walk a few streets rather than get a lift off Harvey. He wasn't exactly _bullied_, but he wanted to prove he could go there and getting dropped off by his dad didn't really help. Although he was doing an undergrad in law - an _accelerated _undergrad course after some exemplary letters from several partners and managing partners of one of the city's best law firms found their way into admissions - Harvey was making sure he had other courses; and he had found a small group of gifted kids who excelled in different things.

This was hosted in a large room on the NYU campus, and Harvey couldn't believe his luck when he found the group (he had Jessica to thank) that comprised of some other genius kids who were on courses way above their age bracket. Harvey had been told of a few of them, and apparently one of Mike's 'friends' (he would use air quotes because the young girl seemed to be more than a friend) was already helping in a biology lab on campus.

The tutors on the course still made sure they were up to date with maths, science and English - Mike especially seeing as his course was Law and not really based around any of them and the tutors didn't want him to fall behind.

Mike went most days - even when he didn't have scheduled lessons; he went to be with people his own age - and just because they were all certified genius' didn't mean they were all like serious adults. Mike often got into a game on an X-Box with one of the other boys and they had a basketball hoop, as well as other things the tutors assumed a group of young teens would like to play with.

And it was this group that had organised a trip for them to a marine park - it was apparently less of a water park like Sea World but not as much of a conservation centre. Mike was excited - after going with Harvey all those years ago he associated it with fun, happy memories and felt a large grin appear on his face when he handed in his permission slip and took a seat on the bus next to Gemma; the girl hoping to go into marine biology and who was his age - they were the youngest in the group by only a small bit - everyone else was mostly 16 or 17.

The bus started and excited chatter filled the space, including Mike and Gemma's, as it pulled out of the Uni campus car park.

* * *

><p>It happened as they were nearly at the stop for the buses. Large vehicles had a different car park behind the centre and they were just pulling into it as there was a large metallic twang and the bus juddered. Not to a halt though - if anything it started picking up speed. Mike's insides clenched and he started breathing faster, clutching onto his seat as the bus sped forwards. The driver cursed and pulled at the wheel, slamming his foot on the breaks, but nothing worked.<p>

Everyone was panicking, having seen the driver's fight with the steering, and Gemma clutched Mike's hand.

Mike had time to squeeze it and close his eyes, thinking of Harvey, before there was a tremendous crash and it all went dark.

* * *

><p>"Mike?... Mike!" Mike blinked his eyes open slowly, feeling blood dripping down his face. He touched the congealing mess with a wince, looking down at his fingertips. He could feel Gemma's hand still clutching at his own and turned slowly to look at her.<p>

It had been her who was calling out his name. She sounded terrified and looking over, he knew why. His mind was trudging slowly rather than sprinting at the 100 mph rate he was usually capable of but he still understood.

Their bus had crashed into a wall of the marine centre. That was bad enough, but he could see that the front of the bus was buried in a thick glass tank full of water. The glass was slowly splintering, needling upwards like a spiders web and Mike knew it would only be a matter of time before it shattered completely and they were crushed under the sheer weight of the water. "We need to move," Mike slurred, pulling at Gemma's hand.

"I... I can't... my feet," Gemma whispered, her eyes pouring with tears. Mike looked down and felt his heart jump. Her feet were practically _crushed _underneath the seat in front of them. Mike looked down and blew out a breath, finding he wasn't in the same situation. He hated himself for being relieved, but put it aside in order to try and help her. "Mike," she whispered, breathing quickly. "I can't - I can't hear anyone else..."

Mike realised he couldn't either. He looked around - the bus was only at the most a quarter full because the trip was optional - and Mike had grabbed seats at the back; something he always did.

Apparently it had saved his life. Several of the kids in the middle towards the front had been thrown forward, and only by chance hadn't gone through the windscreen. Mike couldn't say it had been luck. They would have been decapitated if they had, and would have died straight away. And right now they were lying on the floor or flung over seats, blood falling from their mouths onto the seats or cold metal that was the floor; some still breathing. In agony.

"Mike?" Gemma cried out his name as he gazed around, horror struck.

One of their tutors had tried to stop someone falling forwards, flinging his arm out to try and prevent their head making contact with the floor but the crash had been that violent... the bone was poking out of his arm. He was making groaning noises and had slid to the ground, hugging his arm. The other tutor seemed relatively unhurt, but she was trapped as the seats had toppled; much like the one in front of Gemma had.

There were a few - maybe only one or two - who were like Mike, and could get up and move about. But they seemed dazed and were panicking.

Not that Mike wasn't.

All he could think was of a rainy night, his parents driving as he nodded off in the back seat, feeling his mother stroke his hair and face before turning back with a fond smile on her face, taking his father's hand... before it happened.

His mother had been trapped. Like Gemma. The impact had been at the front of the car, smashing it backwards and his mother's legs had been trapped. She had bled out slowly as his father's head lay smashed on the window beside him, pieces of glass embedded in his head.

* * *

><p>"Louis, I don't really care what you have - it's <em>one <em>day, you can survive _without _an assistant. You really think that Donna will want to work for you?"

"Harvey, I _need _an assistant - "

"_Harvey_!" Donna charged in, tears flooding her face. Both men immediately stopped bickering, and Harvey leapt off his chair, going to clutch at her arms gently.

"Donna, what's wrong?"

"Come see the news," she said, pulling at him. He glanced back at Louis who shrugged, following, trying to keep up with the desperate pace that Donna had set. They went into the associates' break room and saw a group clustered round the TV, speaking in hushed tones.

Footage from the air showed a bus, crashed into the side of a building.

_"We're here live from the 'Blue Water' Marine Centre. A bus coming from an educational authority lost control, and crashed into the side of the centre. As of yet the authorities haven't been able to gain access to the bus. We have Chief Miles Watkins here of the state Fire Department - Chief; what's happening?"_

Harvey felt his knees shudder slightly as he watched, transfixed. Mike was going on a field trip today. To _that _centre. What if he had been inside when the bus crashed into it?

_"Well, as you can tell the bus is _inside _the centre; there's gas coming from it's tank so it's perilous to go near it as there are other vehicles around it. What we're worried about the most however, is the tank it struck. Workers have told us it's a thick glass tank that usually houses a variety of marine life. As of two months ago it's been empty, but the water had yet to be drained. So if too much pressure from the combination of the bus windscreen and the tank combines... Then that water will pour out and into the bus and the surrounding area."_

Well that wasn't too bad, Mike could swim, even if he _was _in the centre then he should be fine.

_"Quick update for you now; people have been sighted in the bus moving; at first it seemed like all the passengers were unconscious but some are up. Fire fighters are trying to ascertain how it would be best to rescue the children trapped inside."_

Children... The _children _trapped inside. Harvey found all eyes on him and realised he must have let out a strangled moan. His legs shuddered and suddenly an arm was propping him up at his side. He felt himself being dragged to Jessica's office, and placed on the couch. Looking up, he saw that it had been Louis to help him out of the room before his legs gave way.

"Mike's on that bus," he croaked.

"Harvey you don't know that," Louis said, trying to sound convincing.

"It's his bus," Donna said, trying hard not to break down into total sobs. "I called the University and they confirmed it. But no one knows out of anyone on the bus who's alive or injured or..."

It was at that moment that Harvey passed out.

* * *

><p>Gemma was dead.<p>

At least, Mike thought she was.

She must be.

Her legs were stuck and she wasn't moving, and he couldn't tell if she was breathing. His hands were shaking and whenever he tried to take her pulse he wasn't sure whether it was hers or his own, thumping through his fingertips.

He was panicking now. He couldn't breathe properly and he was having a hard time trying to calm.

All he could think was his parents' accident. He was trapped in the back - like he was trapped in the bus - for what felt like days but what was really only at the most one hour and had to listen to the dripping sound of his parents' blood as they died in front of him. He saw his dad, like the bus driver, his neck snapped and his head lying motionless on the wheel. Or his mother, like Gemma, her legs crushed and trapped.

He had to get out.

He pulled at the seatbelt, wincing as he moved his neck, hissing at the movement but still managed to take it off. He scrambled out of his seat, before slipping in some blood.

"No, no, no, no..." Mike whimpered, feeling tears starting to run down his cheeks. All he could see were his parents. They were sat in every seat, maniacal corpses grinning at him as he tried to find someone, _anyone_.

"Please," he croaked. "Help!" He glanced down the bus. The tutor with the broken arm had long since lost consciousness. As for the one that was trapped, Mike could see blood running from her ear. He managed to make his way down the bus, sobbing now. "Miss Lindsay?"

He stopped when he was nearly at the front. Apparently not everyone had fastened their seatbelts as he had. It was a safety thing, he'd done it whether he needed to or not after his parents' accident. But the others - whether too cocky or feeling too 'cool' to fasten their belts... They were spread across the floor.

"Miss Lindsay!" He cried out.

She finally turned around. In her own world, she hadn't noticed anyone trying to get her attention. And all sounds were muffled, it was as if only one of her ears was working - and even then only underwater. "Mike?" She breathed out. "Are you okay?"

He nodded and tried to scrub at his face. In all of this _he_ shouldn't be the one to cry. "It's okay," she said softly. "You'll be okay. Come sit with me," she patted the seat next to her and he swallowed. To get to the front he would have to climb over the corpses of some of the people in his group.

"I... I can't," he said, his breath hitching. He slipped back, more blood lining the inside of the bus. "Miss Lindsay you have to call an ambulance!" He gasped. "Gemma's legs are trapped, I think she's dead, and then Mr Neale," he pointed to their tutor, clutching at his arm, "and everyone else, I don't know who's okay, and the driver and there's so much blood - " he was babbling, choking on his words.

"Mike you have to calm down," she insisted. "Don't worry, I saw a helicopter and there are fire trucks and ambulances out there."

"Then why aren't they here?" Mike yelled hoarsely. stumbling onto a seat that no one had sat on and banging on the windows. "Please! You have to help us!" His voice was cracking as he yelled, remembering doing the same when his parents were trapped. "Dad wasn't breathing," he gasped, banging harder. "And Mom, she's not - please! Get us out! Dad!" He was struggling to remember where he was - was he with his parents? And was his Dad okay? Or was he on a bus right now and was his Dad far away? "Dad, please!"

* * *

><p>Ray stopped the car as close to the barrier the police had set up as he could. A pale-faced Harvey got out, followed by an equally grim-faced Donna. After he had passed out in Jessica's office - witnessed by Louis, which was something Harvey wasn't sure if he could ever survive, Donna had called up Ray. If it had been any other situation she would have made Ray drive him to the hospital. As it was, she dragged him downstairs after letting him get his bearings and told Ray to drive. Fast.<p>

"I'm sorry, Sir - no one's allowed through," the policeman said.

"My kid's in there," Harvey said gruffly. "Let me through."

The policeman's face changed. He looked sympathetic but also upset. "I'm sorry, Sir - really. But I _can't _let anyone through here."

From where they were stood they could see the bus, and Harvey could see the cracks in the water tank they had mentioned on the TV. "Dammit; let me in there. _Right. __Now._ Or you'll have to answer to the entire employee list from the best law firm in New York and believe me when I say that we could take down a small _army _and I could find out every single one of your little secrets, however long ago it was hidden and I will _destroy _you."

"Um... Chief?" The office grabbed the fire chief they saw off the news. "This man says his kid is on the bus."

Seeing the fire burning in Harvey's eyes, he nodded and he and Donna made their way over. "Sir, I'm going to be honest," Chief Watkins said. "I don't know how many people are on that bus. I don't know if your kid is dead or alive and I certainly don't know how long that tank is going to hold up for. But I _do _know," he said, seeing Harvey's face. "That we are working as hard as possible to get in there soon. For the moment, the front door is blocked and we're working on the emergency exits."

"Why can't you smash them straight away?" Donna snapped.

"We don't know if there's anyone underneath them, Ma'am," he answered her. "We're being cautious though - a slight spark could set it off so we can't saw through anything. And any movements could make more cracks in that tank and drown everyone inside. So you can wait here," he told them, pointing to where they were stood. "But you have to stand back and don't interfere," he nodded at them before leaving. However, after a split second he came back. "I truly hope your kid's alright," he said to Harvey.

"Chief!" A fire fighter jogged over. "We think we can get the front doors open!" Watkins ran over without a backwards glance, and Harvey and Donna stood there, staring, watching, waiting for something to happen.

* * *

><p>Mike saw fire fighters slowly making their way over, pulling at the front door precariously. They started talking, their words muted by the windows. He banged on the windows some more, crying out until one finally looked up. He pointed to Mike and the other tried the door again, as he went over to stand directly below the window.<p>

"Are you alright, son?" The man yelled as loudly as possible so that Mike could hear him.

"Get me out!" He yelled desperately. He was trapped. Trapped with dead people whose blood would slowly fill up the entire bus and he would drown, trapped and afraid...

"Kid!" The man yelled. "Who else is in there?"

"My tutors and some of my group," he replied. "Uh... But I don't know who's dead or not, there's so much blood, my friend's legs are trapped, you need to hurry! Please!"

"Don't worry, kid," he said, trying to sound calm. "We're nearly in," at these words a clang came from the front and the door juddered open. A fireman clambered in, gazing around in horror.

"Mr Neale's alive," Mike insisted, "and Miss Lindsay - you need to take them!" He pointed out his tutors and several of the other firemen came in, gently moving the adults. Because it was such a perilous situation, they couldn't afford to wait and check for each injury - they just needed to get them out. Miss Lindsay had long since passed out and so they managed to get her out from her trapped location without too much incident.

"What's your name, son?" A fire fighter asked him.

"Mike," he said breathlessly.

"Okay, Mike; I'll need you to slowly walk towards me so we can get you out and then start helping everyone else - okay?" He said in a calm voice.

"I can't," he whispered.

"Yes you can, buddy," the fireman insisted.

"There's so much blood," he whimpered.

"I know it's awful, but you're gonna have to come over,"he insisted.

"I want my dad," he whispered, breathing quickly once more.

"And we'll get him for you - but you need to get out."

"I _can't_!" Mike cried out, hyperventilating. "Dad!"

"Guys, watch your backs, I need to carry this kid out," the fireman shouted, walking in and stepping over bodies to reach him. He grabbed him in a variation of a fireman's lift and got him out, putting him on the floor as he went back in.

"You need to get Gemma!" He said hoarsely, aware of tears streaming down his face because he was out of the bus and alive but Gemma wasn't, all his friends weren't and he was 15, he shouldn't be crying, shouldn't be wanting his Dad this badly but he was _terrified _and relieved all at once and he didn't know what else to do.

A paramedic rushed over and pulled him to one side, wrapping a blanket around him.

And then the tank shattered.

The paramedic pushed Mike in front and they both ran. Mike could hear the yells of the firemen as the water swirled around the bus, shattering the glass. When the paramedic finally pulled him to a halt, Mike just closed his eyes, trying to regulate his breathing. It wasn't working.

"Come on," the paramedic said softly. "We'll get you into the ambulance to look you over before we take you to - "

"Mike!" A desperate, relieved cry that cracked with strain flew through the air and suddenly Mike was pulled into a hug.

"Dad?" Mike croaked.

"Yeah, it's me, kiddo, it's me," Harvey ran his fingers through Mike's hair, not trusting himself to let go because he wasn't sure - but he thought they were both holding each other up. "Are you okay?"

Mike nodded before frowning, feeling more tears coming to his eyes as he shook his head, his lip wobbling as he burst into tears on Harvey's shoulder.

"Sir I need to examine your son," the paramedic informed him. "Please?"

"C'mon, Mikey," Harvey said in a hushed voice, as Donna quickly caught up with him, going to cup Mike's cheek. However, Harvey shook his head. "Go to Ray, meet us at the hospital and tell Jessica what happened. Hell, if she doesn't answer tell Louis." Donna nodded and left, allowing herself to kiss Mike's forehead before going. "Okay, buddy, that's right, come on," Harvey kept his arm around Mike's shoulders as they walked towards the ambulance. Mike sat on the edge, slowly letting the day catch up with him. Harvey felt his forehead.

"He's getting cold."

"He's going into shock," the paramedic told him.

Harvey nodded. Of course he was - who wouldn't? And then everything hit him. Mike's parents. A car crash. Being trapped. Everything would have reminded him of that.

"Dad," he whispered, causing Harvey to start rocking him soothingly, kissing his temples as the paramedic passed him a damp cloth to wash the blood out with.

"It's okay, Mikey," he whispered back. "It's okay."

* * *

><p>Mike had been in hospital for 2 hours before Harvey found out what happened after they'd left.<p>

The water had smashed through the bus - and while this made it easier to get people out because all the windows smashed, it made it _harder _to get people out. Out of the 10 students that had gone (including Mike) only 4 of them survived. One of them was Mike, two others were kids who Mike had assumed were dead because they had been unconscious and the other was Gemma. The firemen had started to pull her loose as the water hit, and because they had been sat at the back of the bus, the fireman holding her had simply waited until the water crashed into the back window before he got out.

Both tutors were fine, but the driver had died on impact. The other 6 students were the ones near the front that either hadn't been wearing seatbelts or were just plain unlucky. Harvey closed his eyes as he imagined the parents of those teenagers being told the news.

He was _damn _lucky. Mike had been the luckiest there, it seemed - his insistence on sitting at the back and wearing a seatbelt had saved his life. Gemma's feet had been crushed beyond repair, and Harvey had heard that she'd had to have them amputated. He had grimaced when he heard - he couldn't think how he would react if he was told that Mike had to have an amputation.

At least he would be alive though.

Harvey hadn't left Mike's side since they got to the hospital. The doctor treating Mike had at first asked Harvey to step out but Mike had clung onto him pathetically and the doctor just sighed, telling him to stay out of their way. He had done so, and as soon as she had left he got on the bed with Mike, pulling him into a hug he had yet to break.

"You should go to sleep," Harvey said softly, stroking Mike's hair.

"I don't want nightmares," Mike said in a quiet voice. "I know I'll have them, and I don't want them," his breath hitched and Harvey sighed, rocking the teen in his arms.

"Okay," he replied. "But I'll be right here. If you want to sleep I'll stay with you the whole time."

"I don't want to sleep," Mike whispered. "But I want you to stay."

"I will," Harvey assured him. "I won't leave. Not until you're 21." Mike gave the most pathetic of watery chuckles, but it was something. "I have some news about Gemma," Harvey said, hoping to get a good response out of him.

"Is she okay?" He asked desperately, clutching at Harvey's sleeve.

"She's... she's alive," Harvey told him. "Her feet... she was crushed under that seat."

"I know," Mike murmured. "The seat must have gotten pushed back when we crashed, she couldn't move - like Miss Lindsay, and my mom, there was blood everywhere and we couldn't get out and I thought I was going to die - " he was hyperventilating again. The only thing stopping him having a full blown panic attack was the constant presence of Harvey, shushing him and rocking.

"I know, it's okay," Harvey whispered. "It's okay, Mikey. Look at me," he turned Mike to look at him in the eyes. "Right here, right now - it's finished. You're safe, I have you, and there is _nothing _I wouldn't do to keep you safe. Got it?" Mike nodded weakly. "Gemma had to have surgery," he continued, hoping to twist it so that it didn't sound as bad. "She's doing well now, she's in recovery."

Thankfully, Mike didn't ask any more questions and nodded, sniffling and turning to try and plant his face into Harvey's chest like he did when he was younger. Harvey responded by moving slightly and pulling Mike round. He then managed to gently pull Mike onto his lap - sure the kid was taller than he used to be; obviously he was bigger than he had been - but he somehow managed to fit perfectly. Harvey sighed but kissed his head, rubbing at his back as the teen attempted to hide from the world in his dad's chest.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, and Mike was almost finished processing what happened. "I think..." he said, stopping to sniff. Harvey waited patiently before Mike spoke again. "I want to go home," he murmured, sounding all of five years old. "Can we go home now?"<p>

"Sure we can, kiddo," Harvey said, getting up from the hospital bed. Mike had been diagnosed with shock and concussion - now that the adrenaline had worn down the concussion began to make itself known, and Mike had just taken some pain pills, waiting for them to kick in.

An hour previous, Donna, Jessica and Louis had filed into the room to see if Mike was okay. Donna had mothered as much as possible before having to leave; Harvey had requested time off and so she had a lot of work in front of her to try and halt any meetings he had. Jessica had smiled sadly at the sight of the 15 year old trying to block everything out, even as he shuffled off his dad's lap to greet their guests, and they had all been surprised by Louis who - although he was awkward at first - soon had Mike smiling as he told him a story of what had gone wrong in the office that day.

Harvey helped Mike sign out and shook the doctor's hand. "I know as a dad you'll want to call or just come back if the slightest thing changes but... sometimes it's best to keep him in one place. _If _he gets worse then by all means come back; just keep in mind that a _father's_ 'worse' and a _doctor's _'worse' - they aren't always the same thing."

Harvey understood what she was getting at but just nodded, not pulling away when Mike took his hand. "C'mon, buddy," Harvey said, gently guiding Mike out of the hospital and towards a waiting taxi - he had sent Ray home, telling him there was no point waiting.

"Wanna... wanna watch a movie when we get back?" Mike asked quietly in the taxi.

"Sure thing, kiddo," Harvey replied, not mentioning how much he wanted Mike to sleep. He knew the kid would have nightmares but he also knew he would be right there to wake him up.

He could see himself not getting any sleep for the next few days - if he was lucky.

If not, he probably wouldn't be getting much sleep for the next few weeks.

* * *

><p>Mike had fallen asleep halfway through the film - a carefully picked out 'Monsters Inc' which; whilst it used to scare the little boy somewhat because of the thought of monsters in the cupboard and Mike was probably slightly too old for it - it took the teen's mind off the incidents of the day. Harvey had slowly and carefully carried him to his bed, pulling the covers over him and pulling his shoes off.<p>

"Night, kiddo," Harvey murmured, pressing a kiss to his forehead - something he hadn't done in years; hell the last time he'd tucked the kid in to bed when he wasn't ill was when he was about 8. He left the door open and went back to his living room, deciding he may as well proof some briefs while he was up. He doubted he'd go to sleep - he wanted to hear when Mike had a nightmare, so he could go straight there and comfort him.

He settled back for what he knew would be a very long night.

* * *

><p>He was on the bus.<p>

He was trapped.

_Why aren't you saving me, Mike?_

He whirled around to see his classmates sat bolt upright in their seats, staring at him. Their faces were gaunt, almost skeleton-like, and he let out a whimper.

_Why did you get to live?_

He didn't know who exactly was asking these questions, but as he looked around, their faces started to twist nauseatingly. Blood started to creep down their faces. Bones started to crunch and snap sickeningly. They slowly moved into the positions they had been in after the crash.

_Tick tock_

Gemma smiled at him, pulling herself towards him on the floor, dragging her legs behind her because her feet were a mangled, bloody mess.

_Tick tock goes the clock_

A splintering sound made him turn. The windscreen was starting to crack under the strain.

_Now Mike is forced to watch her_

And now where Miss Lindsay was sat, his mother was sat there, smiling at him with blood staining her front teeth. Mike wanted to call out to her, wanted to run to her, to _save _her, but the corpses had gotten up and were creeping towards him, trapping him next to Gemma, who was grabbing at his ankles. He tried to scream but no sound came out.

_Tick tock goes the clock _

The driver turned, his neck making snapping sounds as he did so. He grinned leerily, his glasses swinging off to one side of his head.

_Get eaten up by water_

The splinter turned into a smash and the water blasted in, hitting Mike, all the corpses getting tangled around in the flood, floating around him. His mouth opened in a scream, letting water in, it was everywhere - his eyes, mouth, nose, ears, his clothing was drenched, he couldn't see anything, couldn't breathe...

_"Mike!"_

He jumped up, heaving great breaths as if they were the last ones he'd ever take. Harvey sat on the bed, cradling him and rocking him, shushing him and telling him everything was going to be okay. Except it wasn't.

"Couldn't... breathe," Mike gasped, pushing his face into Harvey's shoulder. "Water... everywhere... My mom... Gemma... they were trying to get me... I was trapped... they... the water..." He was sobbing, drawing deep breaths and clutching at Harvey desperately.

"C'mon, Mikey," Harvey said softly. "Let's get you cleaned up. Then you can come with me, and we can try and get some sleep in my bed instead."

Mike wanted to question the 'cleaned up' part of the statement but realised it was obvious as he felt the wetness - all over his body from the sweat that had been apparently pouring off him, and what he _thought_ was just residue from the dream turned out to be real fluid, all over his bed and pyjamas. He flushed a bright red colour, feeling just how wet he was when he stood up to go to the bathroom.

"It's okay, kiddo," Harvey said softly, guiding him there. "I've dealt with worse over the years. Take them off," he motioned to the pyjamas and turned to run a bath for Mike to sit in and clean himself up while Harvey dealt with the bedding.

"I'm sorry," Mike whimpered, huddling in a towel as Harvey returned with clean pyjamas.

"It's okay," Harvey reassured him. "Are you going to get in the bath?"

"It's stupid..." he shivered.

"What is?"

"I don't... the water, I..." Mike hid his face in the towel. "I sound like such an idiot."

"No you don't," Harvey instantly said. "I just didn't think. Do you think you can clean up without getting into the bath?"

Mike nodded. "I don't mind w-water. I just don't want to be..."

"In it," Harvey finished for him. Mike nodded. "That's okay - when you're ready come to my room, we'll sleep in there."

He squeezed Mike's shoulder and cupped his face slightly before leaving the room and sighing. He got his pyjamas on - he had still been on the couch when he heard Mike's nightmare start, but he thought it would be best now if he just went to bed with Mike. He was closer, and he hoped it would offer some sort of relief. He hoped that Mike would feel safe.

Mike was soon in the room, warm new pyjamas hanging off him slightly and he immediately crawled into the bed, bunching up the duvet and wrapping it around himself.

"You realise I need some of that as well, right?" Harvey said, climbing into bed as well. He gave a small smile as the cover was thrown over him. For a while, there was silence, and Harvey could both hear and feel Mike wiggling in the bed before finally he had moved over and was cuddling into Harvey's side. Harvey turned and pulled Mike closer, letting Mike hide his face in his chest. He rubbed at Mike's back and relaxed when he felt Mike falling asleep.

* * *

><p>Harvey had been asleep for what was possibly an hour before he got woken up by Mike's screams.<p>

Not whimpers.

Not cries.

_Screams_.

He sat up in a kneel and pulled Mike to him, regardless of the thrashing. "Woah, woah, easy, buddy, easy..." he cupped Mike's head to underneath his chin and rocked, shushing him. As soon as he had pulled him close, Mike stopped screaming, but his strangled cries and sobs were more than Harvey could deal with.

"Wake up, Mike," he said firmly. "Come on, wake up..." He shook the teen slightly and he jerked, taking deep breaths as he had last time. "That's right," Harvey let out a breath. "It's alright..."

Mike sobbed into his shoulder and shuffled, as if trying to determine if the same thing had happened as last time. "It's fine," Harvey shushed him. "You're alright; all dry, the bedding's fine, you don't need to clean up, just sit with me... That's right..." Harvey wasn't really sure what he was saying anymore, but it seemed to make sense to Mike, who was slowly calming down.

"I'm... sorry," he hiccuped, sniffing and rubbing at his eyes.

"It's fine," Harvey reassured him. "You can't help it. But just remember, Mike - it's over. Everything that happened, you got through it, and you're here now. Whatever you're seeing isn't real. You got me?" Mike nodded, sniffling. "Let's try to relax now, okay? You don't want to sleep, that's fine. But you can lie down with me for a while. That alright?"

Mike nodded again and slowly moved with Harvey, lying down and cuddling into his chest.

* * *

><p>After having to calm Mike down another 2 times, Harvey didn't think he'd ever been this worn out. The last time he had been up all night with a hysterical Mike, it was because the kid had tonsillitis.<p>

The third time Mike woke up (Harvey liked to think he was getting better, he'd stopped screaming) he clutched onto Harvey again. "I can't do this!" He sobbed.

"Yes you can," Harvey told him, realising it was now 5 in the morning and he'd had possibly the worst night's sleep a singular person could possibly ever have. "It'll get better, Mikey. Look, neither of us are going to get any sleep. How about we have an early breakfast?" Mike shrugged but got up, letting Harvey bundle him into an old Harvard hoodie that didn't fit the older man anymore but still worked wonders on keeping Mike feel calm, safe and warm.

"How about pancakes?" Harvey suggested. Mike shrugged again and went to collapse on the couch, thoroughly exhausted. As Harvey cooked, he kept an eye on Mike, watching as the boy slowly slid down the couch. As he had sadly expected, Mike soon shot up, breathing hard but no long crying. He glanced around urgently but relaxed when he saw Harvey stood in the kitchen, eyeing him with concern.

"You alright?"

"I'm good," Mike said - both of them knowing it was a lie but also knowing that they couldn't exactly do anything if he wasn't.

"Come eat your breakfast," Harvey said, placing two plates on the table. Mike pulled himself up from the couch and sat down at the table, before looking at Harvey, and eyebrow raised.

"What?" Harvey asked nonchalantly.

"Really?" Mike said, not being able to help himself smiling down at his plate. The top pancake smiled back up at him with a streak of bacon for a mouth, two eggs for eyes and a mushroom for a nose. "You missed something though."

"Oh?" Harvey replied, watching as Mike stood up and rummaged in the fridge. "What?"

"Hair," Mike reappeared, holding a can of whipped cream and shaking it slightly.

"No, you are _not _eating _cream _for breakf - " Mike gave his pancake a halo of whipped cream for hair and smirked at the older man. "Mike, give me the can."

Mike grinned impishly and put the can to his mouth, squirting some of the cream straight in. A sudden fight ensued between the two and before too long there was cream in both males' hair and in little splodges around the table and floor. Harvey managed to wrestle the can away and set it down next to him, watching with narrowed eyes as Mike started to pick at the food on offer. He didn't touch the bacon but ate the mushroom and a bit of the egg. He ate all of the pancakes along with the whipped cream and sat back with a sigh when he was done.

"You realise you're now free to clean this mess up?" Harvey said, but didn't press when Mike gave him a smirk and slunk back to the couch, settling down on it. He saw Mike's head bobbing and realised the kid was asleep once more. Hoping he would remain sleeping, Harvey quickly wiped up the mess of cream and put the plates away. As much as he wanted a shower, he didn't want leave the teen sleeping on the couch on his own.

For the moment though, he looked pretty content, and Harvey only prayed he would stay that way when he went for a shower.

* * *

><p>"You didn't have to come with me," Mike murmured, holding onto a card and a punnet grapes tightly as they walked down the corridors of the hospital.<p>

"I wanted to," Harvey replied, keeping his hand on Mike's shoulder. "Besides, I wanted to meet this girl you keep talking about."

"She's just a friend!" Mike said indignantly.

"Did I imply she was anything but?" Harvey countered, smiling slightly at the return to semi-normalcy. After a week the nightmares were getting slowly better. That wasn't to say that Mike wasn't having any. He had at least three a night, but no longer woke up screaming. There was the occasional cry but he usually just sat bolt upright, breathing heavily, before being lulled back to sleep by Harvey, who had reinstalled a baby monitor in his son's room, just so he could hear when a nightmare started.

However, most of the time Mike's bed was practically untouched as after one nightmare, Mike usually made his way to Harvey's room - even when the man himself wasn't in it - and got into his bed instead. Harvey had lost count of the amount of times he had walked into his room to see Mike curled up, clutching Harvey's usual pillow, trying to calm himself down.

Harvey had even forbidden himself to leave the flat after 10pm. Sometimes he was so close to leaving, telling Mike he would be home soon - he just wanted to go to a bar for a drink - but then he remembered how distraught Mike still acted after each nightmare, and he didn't want the kid to be alone.

He had once folded though, and called Nick down, because he was crawling the walls and had to get out and get _drunk _and Nick _had_ come as requested, but for once acted the responsible sibling.

"I'll Mike-sit, Harv, but don't come back wasted. That's not what the kid needs."

Harvey had actually been planning on getting _quite _drunk but that mood was gone as soon as Nick said that. Because Harvey should have _known _this. He didn't really like leaving either.

Especially when he got back and found Nick sleeping next to Mike, with Mike's hands clutching Nick's top that was stained with tears.

He shook off these thoughts as they entered the hospital room. A man and a woman sprang to their feet (Which Harvey couldn't think was a little like showing-off considering the condition of the girl sat in the bed).

"Uh... hi," Mike said as they looked at him. "I'm Mike... I, uh... I wanted to see how Gemma is," he looked up at Harvey for a little help.

"I'm Harvey Specter," he introduced. "This is my son - he was sat next to Gemma on the bus," Harvey explained as Mike shuffled slightly.

"Mike," a weak voice said from the bed. They all look over to see the pale girl was smiling slightly to see her friend. "Hey - you just caught me, I just woke up."

"I uh... I brought you a card," he gave it to her. "And... um... I know grapes are your favourite fruit so I brought you some organic ones that my uh... Louis, he's a friend, he grows stuff and he grew some and said I could bring them, so I thought..." he tailed off, helplessly tongue-tied when faced with the girl he both liked and had been forced to watch as her whole life was changed by one single event.

"Thank you," she smiled, apparently used to the babbling and ate a grape. "These are good," she said. "Your friend's good at gardening."

"Better than he is at lawyering," Harvey smirked, getting elbowed in the stomach by Mike.

"Mr Specter, why don't we all go get coffee," Gemma's mother suggested, hustling out the two men, leaving the two teens alone.

"Uh..." Mike shuffled awkwardly.

"You can say it," Gemma said sighing, knowing what was coming.

"I'm sorry," he rushed. "I should've tried harder to get you out, I shouldn't have panicked so much, now some of our class is dead, and you can't walk, and I think Mr Neale's arm's paralysed and - "

"Mike if I had the limbs necessary to kick your ass I would do it," Gemma told him, trying not to grin at Mike's expression. "Yes, I am being flippant about my life-altering, disabling injury, Mike. I can't let it bother me, I'm a scientist," Mike frowned, disbelieving. She sighed. "I know, it's not true at all. It's just what I'm trying to get my parents to believe."

"Is it working?"

She shook her head. "Not really. But I keep trying to save my breakdowns for when they're not in the room."

"Same," Mike snorted.

She look intrigued. "You're having breakdowns too? We should start a club. What limb did you lose?" Mike's eyes widened. "I'm sorry, that was bitchy," she instantly apologised. "I'm glad you're okay, Mike, really. And hey, we're still alive. I'm already looking into lightweight materials to have new feet made out of. I know there are all kinds but I'm trying to decide which would be best for me. Want to look through the foot catalogue with me?"

"There's a foot catalogue?" Mike asked, his eyebrows raising.

"They have all sorts," she pulled out a large booklet that the hospital had given her. "Look, I'm thinking I'll need to be on my feet for most of the time in the lab, so it definitely needs to be durable."

"Yeah... I'd've thought that feet would need to be," Mike said, slightly shell shocked at how well she was. How different she was to the monster in his dreams. She gave a small giggle at his words and pulled his elbow.

"Come sit with me and check out some the ugly fake noses they can give people."

"Is this just a prosthetic surgery catalogue?"

"Pretty much - check out that _chin_!"

* * *

><p>"Okay, ew, ew - no way, they are <em>not <em>giving people enhancements for that!" The adults heard Mike and Gemma laughing and walked back into the room sedately.

"Enhancements for what?" Gemma's dad asked. She quickly closed the book and shoved it in a drawer on the table next to the bed.

"Nothing," she said quickly.

"Sweetie, it's time for your pain meds again," her mother reminded her. "Don't think I can't see those twitches."

Gemma nodded and looked at Mike sadly. "These things pretty much put me to sleep so I won't be good company."

"We should be going anyway," Harvey said apologetically. Mike nodded and got off the bed after settling down next to her.

"Thanks for the grapes," she smiled. "Tell your friend I loved them."

"I will," Mike nodded. He paused, before blushing. "Do you think... I mean, would it - would it be okay if... if maybe I could come see you again?"

Gemma beamed, blushing as well. "I'd like that. And I'll try and get hold of the surgeon's computer programme to see what you'd look like with a different nose. You'll love it."

Mike laughed and gave her a small, awkward hug. "See you later, Gemma, I'm - I'm glad you're doing better."

"Thanks. And I'm glad you're fine, Mike," she told him. "Truly."

* * *

><p>"So... you and Gemma - "<p>

"Don't," Mike said, having trouble wiping the grin from his face as Harvey glanced at him when they were back at home.

"What? I'm sure she was blown away by your charms. The stuttering and blushing was top notch, really."

"I'm pretty tired," Mike told him quickly. "I'm going to bed."

Harvey nodded. "If you need anything," he said. "I'll be proofing briefs on the couch."

Mike nodded and hugged Harvey, breathing in the warm, fatherly smell that had become to feel so safe. Harvey squeezed him slightly before pulling back and ruffling his hair. "Try and get some sleep," Harvey ordered him, smiling.

"I'll try."

* * *

><p>For the first day in a week, Mike slept through the whole night.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>AN So... very, very long chapter there - hopefully you've managed to stick with me all the way to the end; god bless you in bucketfulls if that's the case :) Really hope you liked it and... like I said - dark. To think I was originally setting out to write a small chapter about Mike crashing a car and Harvey freaking out lol.**

**Oh, and some of you will probably have guessed but the odd rhyme in Mike's nightmare, I kinda stole from Doctor Who ;) Well, obviously I tweaked it slightly but... yeah. Anyways - hope you enjoyed reading this chapter :)**


	9. Birthday Promises

**Hi people :) Thank you so much for the amazing reviews - if it was angst, gore and death that made you love this story, I'd have made every chapter as bleak as that one ;) Alas, I cannot, I just got a bad mark for a script I handed in at Uni and so I'm typing a lot of fluff to make up for it :( So, just as in the other one I was trying to fit in as much angst as humanly possible, have as much fluff as Mikey's hair when it's just been washed :D**

**This chapter was sorta inspired by _HuffynDK _- and if you haven't already, check out her AU story of Harvey as Mike's dad, and Jessica as Harvey's mum - it's a great story :D**

* * *

><p>"Wake up!"<p>

Harvey groaned as he rolled over, trying fruitlessly to ignore his human alarm clock that was currently jumping on him.

"Daddy, wake _up_!" Mike demanded.

"I'm going to get a lock on my door," he muttered, blinking blearily at his bedside table to look at the clock. "I'm going to make it so that nothing short of a battering ram can get in..."

"Daddy you have to get _up_!"

"I'm pretty sure I don't," Harvey grumbled, sitting up nonetheless.

"But it's _today_!" Mike insisted, and for that, at least, Harvey was thankful. It meant that it was more than likely morning.

"Well done, but I'm going back to sleep."

"It's my _birthday_!" Mike squealed slightly, bouncing more, making Harvey freeze.

Of course it was his birthday.

How had he forgotten? Not that he'd _forgotten _forgotten. Everything was planned - family and friends were coming, some kids that Mike got on well with at daycare were invited, Donna was bringing her little niece, food was ordered, presents were wrapped and hidden...

He'd just forgotten as soon as he woke up.

"Nope," he said nonchalantly. "Can't be. Your birthday was last year. I remember," he prodded Mike in the side slightly, making him squirm and giggle. He remembered _adult _Mike's birthday last year. Donna made them go out for a meal. It wasn't awkward; in fact it was quite pleasant, but Harvey had been accused of _caring _all night.

"It's 'nother birthday!" Mike told him firmly, climbing onto his lap. His speech seemed to regress if he got too excited. Like an asthmatic would get too breathy and wheeze; Mike would sound more and more like a child.

"Is it?" Harvey asked, automatically hugging him. "And how old are you this time?"

"27!" Mike said proudly.

"I don't think so," Harvey chuckled, getting up and taking Mike into the kitchen. "If you are, then what am I going to do with all the balloons and banners we bought?"

"You bought balloons?" Mike gasped, squirming round in Harvey's hold as if they had been hidden from his sight.

"Well I guess I'll have to get rid of them, now they've got the wrong age on them."

"But I'm _techally _27!"

"Well you _technically _look 4 to me," Harvey replied, setting Mike down on a chair at the table. "And that's what the balloons say. Now," he opened the fridge, "I don't know what 27 year old's eat for their breakfast on their birthday, but I bought something 4 year old's like on their birthday..."

Mike gazed delightedly as Harvey pulled a carton of chocolate milk out of the fridge, before pouring it into a cup and adding a curvy straw. He had pretty much been forbidden to drink it up until now, and eagerly reached for it, trying to watch it go round the straw, going cross-eyed in his attempt. Harvey laughed before starting to make waffles, adding chocolate chips and topping it off with whipped cream. Mike beamed at this and started eating, squirming away when Harvey tried to wipe the cream off his chin.

"P'esents, Daddy! P'esents!" Mike practically vibrated with excitement.

"What?"

"P'esents _p'ease_," Mike amended, before rubbing at his mouth - another thing Harvey picked up on. When Mike realised he talked more childishly he often got distressed and started rubbing at his mouth, as if that in some way would cause his speech to go back to normal. Harvey ruffled his hair and finished wiping the cream off his face.

"You can open them this afternoon at your party," he said. Mike pouted but couldn't argue since Harvey had just fed him what was probably more sugar than he got most days in one sitting.

Harvey's reasoning was childish - he wanted Mike to open his presents last or at least remember them by the time it came to opening everyone else's. He was sure that Nick would try and outdo him and he was determined to not let that be the case. However, he did pass Mike a card. "You can have this though."

Mike beamed and ripped it open, grinning at the card and then even more so at the large badge that was on it. He scampered over to the coffee table and put the card in pride of place before running at Harvey's legs and clutching them in a hug. Harvey grinned and ruffled his head, kneeling down to pin the badge to Mike's top.

"Happy Birthday, Monkey," he checked the clock and stood up. "I'm going into the firm in half an hour," Harvey told him.

"But it's my _birthday_!" Mike reminded him, looking and sounding devastated. "I don't want to go to daycare!"

"Well," Harvey said, looking as though he was thinking about it when really he'd already had it planned. "I suppose... a big boy of 4..."

"Yeah?" Mike said, bouncing up excitedly.

"Big boys of 4 can behave themselves at their Daddy's work, can't they?" Mike's head bobbed excitedly, pulling at Harvey. "You know anyone like that?"

"I am! _I'm _4! I'll be good," He promised. "I'll be really good, I promise!"

Harvey smiled at him. "Okay, champ, let's get ready."

* * *

><p>Mike seemed even more excited than usual to be going in to the firm. He <em>didn't <em>know that Harvey had told people it was his birthday however, and so Harvey was also slightly excited to see the kid's reaction. As they were walking through the corridors on their floor, Mike bounced excitedly, holding Harvey's hand and twisting every so often so that people could see his badge.

"There's my favourite birthday boy!" Donna called out as they approached her desk. "Hey, sweetie!" He ran to her and got lifted into a hug. "Happy Birthday, baby."

"I'm not a baby!" Mike contested, frowning. "I'm _four_!"

"I know," she tickled him slightly. "Your badge told me."

"Daddy got me it," he informed her, watching her eagerly, as if she would suddenly pull a present from nowhere.

"Really? And what else did your Daddy get you?" She asked him, smiling at Harvey.

"Don't know," he frowned. "He wouldn't let me open them yet. He said I had to _wait _until _this afternoon_!" Judging by Mike's tone this was apparently the worst thing to have ever happened to him in the world.

"That's awful," she agreed, smirking at Harvey's pained 'back me up' expression. "So does that mean I'm just the best Aunt ever for having _this _with me?" She rummaged under her desk and pulled out a smoothly wrapped present. Mike gasped and hugged her, beaming.

"You're the best _Donna _ever," Mike told her, which Donna took to mean that she was an odd mix of aunt, mother and friend.

"I like to think so," she flipped her hair. "Open it then," she told him, grinning excitedly. Harvey rolled his eyes at her excitement and couldn't help but hope it wasn't as good as the presents he had gotten Mike. Mike pulled the wrapping paper off and gasped.

"Daddy, look!" He cried out. "Donna got me a 'dactyl!" Harvey smiled at him indulgently, never unable to keep the fond smile off his face when Mike spoke in the adorable childish language whenever he was excited. He had, like any other small child, gone through a phase of being obsessed with something, and that something had been dinosaurs. He had been watching dinosaur films, eating dinosaur shaped food (and how Donna had managed to find him dinosaur shaped spaghetti he had no idea) and requesting dinosaur bedtime stories - which Harvey had to research for beforehand because Mike would always notice if he got something wrong; 'Daddy, a Brachiosaurus was a _vegetarian _dinosaur - he wouldn't have eaten the small boy called Mike who wouldn't go to sleep!'.

Donna's present was a cuddly toy of a large red pterodactyl, and Mike hugged it tightly, calling it 'Terry' and flapping its wings delightedly. "What do you say to Donna?" Harvey pressed him slightly.

"Thank you, Donna!" Mike hugged her, getting Terry squashed between them, before letting go and running into Harvey's office, flapping the toy's wings and making it fly the whole way around the room.

"You horrible person, making the kid wait to open his presents," Donna smirked as Harvey signed something she thrust underneath his nose.

"Well you know me, Donna," Harvey told her, putting the discarded wrapping paper in the bin. "I like to show off my things."

Donna snorted. "And having Mike unwrap all of your amazing, expensive presents in front of everyone at the party is clearly the best way to do that," she said, a twinkle in her eye.

"Exactly," Harvey told her. There was a small thump from the office and they both turned to see that Mike had fallen off the side of the couch after attempting to make Terry sail through the air. Harvey rolled his eyes but went in, because the last thing he wanted was tears on Mike's birthday. Mike sniffled and looked very close to tears as Harvey went over. "You're fine," Harvey told him, kneeling and quickly checking to make sure.

"I hit my knee off the floor," Mike told him with watery eyes. Harvey rubbed his hand over the small red appendage and gave it a kiss.

"It's fine," he assured the small boy. "Now, I need to quickly go through a file, how about you look around the office and see if you can find one of your presents?"

Mike's mood lifted quickly and he gasped, wriggling to his feet and looking everywhere. He finally pushed himself through Harvey's legs - making the man chuckle - and squirmed back out from underneath the desk, eagerly ripping the paper of the present.

"A book?" Mike looked at the title and grinned. Harvey had gotten him 'Harry and his Bucketful of Dinosaurs'. "Dinosaurs!" He climbed onto Harvey's lap. "Read?"

"Not now, Mikey," Harvey told him. "I thought you could sit on the couch and read it yourself. If I finish this file then we can go see everyone else."

"Can I read to you?" Mike asked, climbing onto the couch.

Harvey's lips quirked into a smile. "Sure, kiddo."

* * *

><p>"Where are we going?" Mike asked, clutching Harvey's hand tightly as he was gently walked through the corridors, one of Harvey's hands over his eyes.<p>

"You'll see," Harvey smiled, finally taking him into an office and taking his hand away from Mike's eyes. He grinned at the gasp and the wide-eyed look on the kid's face.

"Happy Birthday!"

They were in Jessica's office, and there were some balloons and banners up around the room. Donna, Jessica, Louis and Rachel were all in there, as well as a large stack of presents on the couch. Ignoring the grinning adults, Mike dived for the pile and just got his hands on the first one before being pulled back by Harvey.

"I'm sure I taught you better than that, kid," Harvey warned him.

Mike slowly put the present down and turned around. "Thank you," he said politely, before hugging them all individually around their legs. He glanced back at Harvey, who rolled his eyes.

"Fine, go on."

Mike beamed and ran back, picking up the first present he had originally touched.

"That's mine," Rachel said quickly, as if wanting everyone to know.

Mike had already figured it out as there were different wrapping papers on the presents. One was bright blue and sparkly, and he guessed that was Donna. The other was brown - not a cheap brown, but extremely expensive corduroy brown wrapping paper; Mike guessed Jessica. Then a simple blue paper with 'Happy Birthday' written everywhere which was Louis, whilst Rachel's was red, with Disney characters on it.

Harvey sat down on the couch next to him, not minding when Mike decided that was his invitation to climb on his lap and cover him in wrapping paper. He had one arm laid out on the back of the couch and the other was brought up slightly, absent mindedly brushing Mike's hair from his face or stroking his cheek as he unwrapped his presents.

He was slowly going deaf, however. Every time Mike opened one he would gasp with delight and thank the giver, before turning excitedly to show Harvey and chattering loudly. Harvey could see everyone else - Jessica had sat down behind her desk, Louis had stayed standing and Donna and Rachel had both taken the other chairs in the room - and he saw that Donna and Jessica in particular were smiling knowingly at him as he smiled fondly and nodded each time Mike talked, constantly stroking his cheek or hair or keep an arm around his waist so that the small boy didn't fall off his lap.

"I don't know where you're expecting to put all of this," Harvey said as Mike finished unwrapping Jessica and Rachel's presents - already roughly the same amount between them as Harvey got from everyone in his family when he was younger.

He finally started on Louis' presents, and Harvey was quite pleased to see that the pile was quite small now. He wasn't expecting Louis' presents to be any good, however. So it was a surprise when Mike opened one and it was a remote control helicopter. That was the first time Mike had gotten off his lap since they started and ran over to Louis, hugging his legs.

"Thank you!" He squeezed Louis' legs, not seeing the shell-shocked look on the man's face when it happened. As much as Louis claimed to be amazing with children, his social skills with them were occasionally somewhat lacking.

Which is why Harvey couldn't wait to make him in charge of any games tonight at Mike's party.

"You're welcome," he said smugly as Mike climbed back onto Harvey's lap. "Are they better than the ones Harvey got you?"

Mike shook his head absent mindedly as he continued opening presents, causing Harvey to smirk and ruffle his hair. Louis' other present was a full set of the Harry Potter books, which Mike tactfully didn't say he already had. Harvey was feeling threatened by the time it came to Donna's presents, as they appeared to be more extravagant than the rest. He was still feeling confident about his own though.

"I can tell what you're thinking," Donna said from her position opposite, studying his face. "I wouldn't worry - you should see what Nick's bought."

Harvey groaned, realising there were still his brother and parents - not to mention Mike's grandmother. Mike unwrapped a remote control dinosaur, more books and puzzles and finally some all year passes to the natural history museum - one each for him and Harvey.

Harvey beamed at Donna, but his gut was clenching. One of his presents was not only that, but some behind the scenes passes - he had called in some favours and Harvey was planning on taking Mike there tomorrow and letting him handle some old dinosaur bones or anything else that they housed there.

"Thank you, Donna!" Mike cried out, running over and climbing on her lap, throwing his arms around her neck.

"You're welcome, sweetie," she said, rubbing his back. "Are you excited about tonight?"

"Uhuh!" He said, pulling back and looking at her. "Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Nick are coming! And my Grammy's coming too!" Donna smiled down at him.

"I'm glad," she checked the clock. "Harvey, you have a meeting. I swung it so it's your only one today, but you can't miss it."

He nodded. "C'mere, monkey," he said, gesturing to Mike. The boy slid off Donna and went over, resting against Harvey's knees. "I have to go to a meeting," he explained. "I'll be back before we go home to set up, okay? You want to come?"

Mike had already lost focus - as soon as Harvey said he would be back before they left he nodded and started playing with some of the toys he had been given.

"I'd take that as a no," Donna told him, standing and smiling.

"Mikey - " Harvey started.

"It's fine, Harvey," Jessica told him. "He can stay in here until you have to leave. I can maybe even help him find batteries for some of this."

"Thanks," Harvey said. "Okay, kiddo - I'll swing by and pick you up soon, alright?" He knelt and ruffled Mike's hair. The little boy nodded, immersed in trying to set up his large new Noah's Ark toy. Harvey smiled and quickly kissed the top of his head before leaving.

* * *

><p>When they got home, it took Harvey maybe three trips with Mike's help to get all of Mike's presents up to the flat. "I think a little tidying's in order," he said. "If you tidy your room while I do out here before everyone gets here, you get to open another of your presents. Sound fair?"<p>

Mike grinned widely and ran to his room, and Harvey could hear what sounded like a lot of things simply being rammed under the bed. "Don't think I won't check under the bed!" He called. The noise immediately stopped and drawers and toy boxes began to open.

Harvey used this time to bring the bag full of presents he had for Mike and put them in the living room. After this he called the caterer (A.K.A, Donna) only to be told that - as well as the process going a lot faster if he stopped bugging her, his mother was there too. Kathleen told him to 'go make sure that boy is happy' and that she would see him later. He stared at the phone as she hung up on him. Donna and his mother were too alike for his taste.

And then Nick arrived.

"Hey, who's ready for some awesome presents?" He said happily, bouncing in. "Hey, bro," he put the large bag he had been pulling on the floor, causing Harvey to raise his eyebrows.

"You thinking about moonlighting as Santa as well?"

"Sorry, Harv - I forgot that it's just _wrong _to give your nephew presents on his birthday."

"Uncle Nick!" Mike darted out, launching himself at Nick. The man was close to being pushed to the floor, and he had to quickly scoop Mike up to a hold from the grip he'd had around Nick's waist if he didn't want Mike falling down either.

"Hey, kiddo - how's your birthday going?"

"Good!"

"Yeah? Awesome," Nick grinned.

"Can I open my p'esents now?"

"What?" Nick asked, confused.

"No, you can't," Harvey told him. Mike started to whine before Harvey silenced him. "How's that room look?"

"It's tidy," Mike insisted, nonetheless clutching tighter on Nick as Harvey went in to check.

The man came back out, shaking his head. "Just for today, I'm going to pretend that I didn't see underneath the bed," he said. "Okay, kiddo - you can go in that bag and pick out _one__,__" _he stressed the number, "present. Alright?"

Mike hastily wiggled down from Nick's hold and scampered over to the living room, rummaging around in the bag amongst the expensive wrapping paper before picking a soft, good-sized present and unwrapping it. He gasped with delight as he held a stegosaurus toy.

"What are you going to call it?" Nick asked with interest, sitting down on the couch.

"Steggy," Mike replied, before running back to his room, no doubt to acquaint him with Terry.

Harvey sat next to Nick on the couch and breathed out, closing his eyes for a second. "I swear there is more in that kid's bedroom than there is in the world's biggest toy store."

"You're just splashing out 'cause it's the kid's first birthday with you. Don't worry, next year I'll just bring a cardboard box instead," Nick assured him. They sat in silence for a second before Nick raised a finger. "Question."

"Hmm?"

"How can you understand the kid?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like - he's really good at speaking."

"I've noticed."

"Right - but when he gets excited he gets... not so good."

"A bit like you then."

Nick paused to hit him on the arm before continuing. "Isn't it weird? Like, aren't you worried at all when he starts talking like that in case he loses all of his... grown-up words?"

"What, like you clearly have?" Harvey asked, smirking.

"Harv, you know what I mean," Nick said, and Harvey realised this was his brother attempting to speak seriously for a second. "What if he becomes less of the Mikey we know and love?"

"I'll always love that kid," Harvey told him. "Even if he ends up talking like that for the rest of his life."

"Really?"

"No, I'll make him see a speech therapist - but the point _is_," Harvey said, "is that I don't care if he becomes more childish - he _is _a child."

As if to cement this fact and make it dance up around in their faces at the same time, Mike - clearly _very _over excited - ran in and pulled at Harvey's knee. "Daddy, potty step!"

Harvey stood up and took Mike's hand. "Good boy, Mikey," he said, taking him to the bathroom.

"Does he have to get you every time he needs to pee?" Nick shouted through, still sat on the couch.

"Only when he's like this," Harvey yelled back, pulling out the step that Mike had to use to get to the toilet, before helping him with his trousers and turning, poking his head out of the door to talk to Nick. "Or if he's desperate."

"What, he can't hold it and wait to pull the step out?"

"He's four, Nick," Harvey reminded him. "He can't hold it a lot of the time," he turned back and helped Mike down, dragging the stool over to the sink for the kid to wash his hands.

"So how often does he get like this?"

"Not that often; but on Christmas he was like this nearly the whole day - we had a bit of an accident on Christmas Eve, huh, pal?" Harvey ruffled his hair. "That's why I have the step."

"So if he's really excited..."

"Or scared," Harvey said, thinking. "I'm assuming. But I'd never let him even _get _that scared."_  
><em>

"Done!" Mike announced, jumping down off the step before running back into the living room. "Unca Nick, come p'ay!"

"Sorry, kiddo - Uncle Nick's tired," Nick groaned. "Wait till the party, I just need a drink."

Just as he said that, there was a knock on the door.

* * *

><p>Harvey felt like joining Nick in that sentiment halfway through the party, when there were excited kids running around his nice, usually quite quiet condo. He could handle one excited kid - but even then sometimes he felt like hitting his head off the wall and calling Donna, pleading for her to remove the small, blonde thing that somehow planted itself quite nicely into his life.<p>

His parents arrived first, greeting Mike a lot more exuberantly than the thrown 'Hi, how are you?'s that he received. Donna arrived soon after with Mike's Grammy in tow.

At first, Harvey had been worried. They'd had to say that Mary was Mike's mother's mother, and so Harvey had expected his own mother to turn her nose up - as the story they knew was that Mike had been hidden from Harvey by his mother until she died.

He was surprised that they got on even _better _than a house on fire. Mary explained herself with a twinkle in her eye to the Specters, occasionally glancing over at Harvey with an entertained expression on her face. She simply said that her grandson had been hidden from her too, but when Harvey had found that she lived in New York, he had quickly gotten in touch with her.

For Kathleen, the pivotal moment was when Nick called Mike 'butt munch' and Mary had taken him by the ear, dragging him down to where she was sat.

"You must be Nick," she said, surveying him.

"Yes," he said, glancing over at his parents. "The fact that you're laughing shows you clearly don't love me as much as I thought you did."

Harvey snorted and watched as Mary slowly let go of his ear. "I can tell you've been brought up very well, young man - but I'd just like to warn you that my mind is as sharp as a tack, even if my body is past it's best. I will have to have some assistance from either Donna or your mother, but I can assure you that I will find something I can use against you."

"Yes, ma'am," Nick hastily said. "Sorry. I won't call the rug-rat 'butt munch' again. How's 'twerp'?"

"Are you sassing me?" Mary asked, a look scarily like Donna's appearing on her face.

"No, ma'am," Nick said, quickly leaping away to stand behind Harvey. "Sorry."

Mary started chuckling. "I like you."

"Are you sure? 'Cause it didn't look like it just then," Nick said, poking his head out from behind Harvey.

Kathleen smiled. "Nicky how about you go check on Mike? I'd definitely like to get to know Mary better."

With the two grandmothers chatting animatedly and Donna harmlessly flirting with Vic as she did every time they came down, the party slowly began to start.

After a while, Louis turned up - having actually been invited - with Jessica. They found Harvey in the kitchen, pretending to be preparing food so that he wouldn't need to interact with any of the children or their parents. Donna, Kathleen and Mary were doing most of the socialising so they didn't feel too neglected.

He was happy that Nick had gladly stepped up to the plate - having had a few glasses of wine - and was sorting the children into teams for some sort of game he was organising. Harvey was actually thankful his brother was there - it was a distraction to Mike, who was either wanting to open his presents or wondering where his daddy was. Harvey also quickly explained to Mary that if Mike talked more like the 4 year old he was that she shouldn't worry - he was just excited. Surprisingly, Mary told him that Mike had always been like that. After his parents died he retreated into a shell, and if he did get excited about something, then he would become more childlike.

Harvey thought it was maybe the shock of losing his parents, and that retreating back to a time when they had been there would help the kid. He still couldn't help but find what Mike did adorable however. Sometimes he could go from having a completely adult conversation - one time Mike had been looking through by-laws that Harvey had brought back and talking about figures. The next minute he shot off his chair, pulling at Harvey having worked it out and saying simply "Daddy - done! Weady!"

He found the lisp the most adorable part.

"Harvey," he looked over to find that Donna was in the doorway. "Will you stop being so antisocial and come join in? Mike wants you here, and the kids are all lovely."

"I can only handle one kid, Donna," Harvey told her, walking with her anyway.

"Just join in with Nick," she told him. "I think they're playing tag. I have a feeling you'd win."

"Because it would go down _so_ well with the other parents if I chased their children around my condo before grabbing them."

"At least you're a lawyer; you wouldn't have to hire one," Donna consoled him, before giving him a firm push. "Get out there and socialise."

Harvey sighed but left the room, thinking about talking with the parents like talking with a client. He was soon acting exactly how people were expecting him to, moving gracefully from one parent to another, laughing it off if a child ran into him, kissing Mike's arm where he fell over and overall just charming people.

Nick had managed to wrangle him into wearing a party hat, which he somehow managed to pull off with style. Donna quickly got a picture, in case no one else believed it - Harvey then managed to get one on Louis, who really _didn't _suit the hat.

"Harvey, c'mere!" Nick waved him over and Harvey rolled his eyes, joining the throng of Nick's new adoring fans. "I'm thinking of starting a game of Blind Man's Buff. You interested?"

"I'll mediate," Harvey informed him, standing back while the children bounced around Nick excitedly, wanting to know what this new game was.

"Aw, c'mon, Harv!" Nick wheedled. "We need more players! And it'll be fun! You can go first?" He offered out the blindfold to Harvey, who smirked and shook his head.

"No thanks. What about you?"

"Harvey you put me in charge of this! I'm Gamesmaster! I can't be 'it' first! How about the birthday boy?" Nick asked, looking over into the crowd somewhere and saw Mike grin delightedly. "Whaddaya say, Mikey?"

"I'll be it!" Mike agreed happily, pushing through the other children.

"Awesome," Nick smiled. "Okay, kiddo - all you have to do it wear this blindfold. We'll spin you a few times then you have to try and catch someone - got it?" Mike nodded and Nick turned to the other children. "You got that, guys? So we all have to be really quiet or Mike'll catch us. Whoever he catches has to be it next. Okay?" The kids all nodded, eager to start. Nick knelt down and wrapped the blindfold around Mike's eyes.

"You okay in there, champ?" Nick asked once he'd tightened it. Mike nodded. "Cool. Okay, ready?" He started to turn Mike in circles slowly, glancing up at Harvey occasionally, looking slightly guilty as he did so. He stopped and pushed Mike forward slightly, ready to catch him if he stumbled.

"Remember, guys, don't let him catch you," Nick said, backing away as Mike turned upon hearing his voice. For the first time that afternoon, Harvey felt as if he had gone deaf. There was virtually no noise in his condo apart from a few stray giggles from the children as they ran around Mike, who in turn was also giggling and throwing his arms out sometimes, trying to grasp his hands around someone. A few kids darted in and gently touched his arms, making him whirl quickly to reach them. He stumbled over his own feet and would have gone head first into the floor if Harvey hadn't quickly swooped in and caught him. Mike latched his hands around Harvey's arms and waited until he was righted before tearing the blindfold off.

"Your turn!" He announced, passing it to Harvey. "I caught you!" He said, feeling the need to clarify the rules of the game.

"I think you'll find that _I _caught _you_," Harvey smirked, poking him in the stomach slightly.

Mike shook his head. "I got you! The _rules _dictate that whoever I catch has to be it next. Right?" He looked over at Nick, who wasn't even trying to hide his grin.

"Sorry, Harv, the kid's got you there. There weren't any loopholes, I made sure of it," Nick said smugly, glancing down at Mike.

"Yeah, Nick said 'all you have to do it wear this blindfold. We'll spin you a few times then you have to try and catch someone'," Mike informed him. "He didn't say _how _I had to catch someone."

Harvey shook his head, ruffling Mike's hair. "That memory," he said, prompting Mike to stick his tongue out. "Okay, help me get this on."

Mike pulled the blindfold around Harvey's head and fiddling for a few moments before saying softly; "Uncle Nick, I can't..." Harvey felt his heart squeeze slightly and he wanted to reach around and help. Thankfully though, Nick was right there.

"Don't worry about it, squirt," he felt Nick doing up the blindfold. "Wanna help me spin him?" Mike giggled and together they spun Harvey around until he was dizzy. They let him go and Harvey walked forward a few steps, before standing still and listening.

Kids aren't the most discreet people in the world, and it was easy to hear exactly where they were. It was too easy though, to grab a kid and make them it. So he strove to catch someone else.

The adults were watching with interest as Harvey slowly started to make his way away from the group. A few of them chuckled slightly as Nick darted forward to prod him in the back to startle him or make turn around. It worked a little too well, and Nick found the arm that had reached out was now in Harvey's grip. The older man grinned as he pulled the blindfold off, throwing it to Nick and walking away. He started chuckling as he heard the kids yelling excitedly and turned around to see that they had all simply leapt on top of his brother, who was slowly lowering himself to the floor.

"You got any pictures of that?" Harvey asked as he stood next to Donna.

"Not that you'll ever see," Donna replied.

"You should wear a blindfold more often," Louis said, looking too happy with the situation.

"Nicky?" Harvey turned, grinning. His little brother looked up. "Louis just kindly volunteered to join in."

Nick shared his brother's grin and got up from the floor, pulling Louis over with him. Harvey had to chuckle as he heard Louis trying to back out. He knew that Louis' list of favourite Specters went; Harvey's Mom, Harvey's Dad, Mike, Harvey himself, and then lower down - even after any pets, distant relations or office furniture... it was Nick.

And Nick knew this, so he purposefully went out of his way to annoy Louis even more. Suggesting him as part of a game he had so originally called, 'Pin The Tail On The Louis'.

Harvey started chuckling as he watched, whilst Donna started to get any kind of angle she could and was taking hundreds of pictures.

After a few more games - in which Nick actually handed out prizes; Harvey had no idea where he got them from - Donna informed him the cake was ready, so he managed to gather everyone together in the main room and take the cake into Mike.

Everyone started singing Happy Birthday, and Mike beamed in delight as they set down the cake (dinosaur shaped of course) with four large candles on it. Donna was filming, Kathleen was taking pictures and Harvey glanced around, never knowing a time his condo had felt this full, this warm.

Mike went to take a deep breath, just as Nick yelled; "Don't forget to make a wish!" Mike paused, thinking, before looking over at Harvey and then back down at the cake blowing out the candles in one. Everyone cheered and clapped, and Harvey went forward to take the cake into the kitchen to cut it away from impatient hands and hungry stomachs.

Then, it was decided that Mike should open his presents. For some reason, Harvey felt nerves building as Mike bounced into the living room, looking at the pile of presents. Harvey decided there and then that next year, he was to be the only one allowed to buy more than one present. He doubted all of this stuff would fit in his condo, let alone Mike's room.

Mike started with his friends' presents, thanking them all and grinning - there was nothing special there, and Harvey was just waiting nervously to see what everyone else had bought. This was weird.

Harvey Specter didn't do _nervous_.

Although apparently he did.

His parents had gotten Mike a few things he could use the next time they went to visit - for riding the horses. Harvey had the image of his son on a large horse without these things and heard a small, strangled sound come out of his mouth.

Mike's Grammy had simply got him a photo album, which Mike instantly knew had old pictures in there as well, and said he'd look later.

Nick seemed to be vibrating with excitement as Mike opened his presents. There was a large box that said on the front that it was a 'Play Castle'. "This is so cool, Harv," Nick told him as Mike gazed at the front of the box in awe. "You can set it up on like, the balcony or something. It's like, a play house but in the shape of a _castle_! How awesome is _that_?"

Harvey nodded, trying to figure out where he could put it that didn't involve it being on the balcony of the penthouse. Nick's next gift was a large cape, that Mike quickly put on. It was red, and in blue there was a picture of a shield on the back, and a large 'M'. "Now you're a knight in your castle," Nick said proudly, giving out a small _oof _sound when Mike slammed into him in a hug. "I know, I'm awesome. But enough about _me _- hurry up. I want to see what Harvey bought."

An inordinate amount of pressure seemed to rest on Harvey now, as Mike eagerly went into the bag of presents. What Harvey loved was how excited Mike looked - there weren't _that _many gifts in there. But there was no look of disappointment. Just adoration and excitement.

The first thing he unwrapped were the tickets and backstage passes to the museum. His eyes became unusually wide and he bounced up, throwing himself at Harvey and babbling out his thank you's. He pulled Harvey by the hand to where he had been unwrapping and pulled him to floor, so that he could climb onto his lap and unwrap the rest. He got a sign for his door that Harvey had someone at the firm make that said 'Michael Specter; Senior Partner' and a basketball signed by Michael Jordan.

Donna was starting to think that the next few presents would be 3 piece suits and that Harvey was trying to create a mini-me but they seemed to be the only Harvey-like presents. And to be fair, she knew as soon as she saw them that Mike adored them.

There was another backstage ticket - the zoo they had been to before, Harvey had pulled some strings and now Mike was finally able to go there to pet _and _feed the sea lions. That one took Harvey nearly five minutes to calm Mike down long enough to finish opening his presents.

He unwrapped the large box that was standing next to the bag and gasped with delight as he found it to be a new bike. He was thankful that Harvey hadn't bought one that had stabilisers on it; although he knew without a doubt that the older man probably would insist on them.

"Thank you, Daddy," He said, hugging Harvey tightly.

"You're welcome. But you missed one, kiddo," Harvey nodded into the bag and Mike dived in, seeing he had forgotten a small envelope. He hastily tore it open and saw it was just a card. The front was a black and white picture of the skyline of New York and somehow, Mike's adult side _knew _this was something to be taken seriously. He opened it and started reading.

_Mikey,_

_Happy Birthday, Monkey - I hope you've loved your party and presents. Here's one last one from me._

_ This last present is a promise. It's a promise I mean to keep for the rest of my life - and even after, if I can; I can swing a jury, so I can no doubt swing the afterlife._

_I promise - no matter how old you get; how childish or adult you become - whatever happens over both our lives - I promise I will** always**_ _be there for you. Even when you're grown and moved out (which won't be for a **very**_ _long time) and I'm not actually** there**_ _- if you need me, all you have to do it call. Got that? Because - and this something you'll only hear from me once, kiddo, so savour the moment - I've never cared so much for a singular person as you, buddy. _

_I will do whatever it takes to make sure you're happy. I will never be disappointed in you, and if you need me then just come get me - because the truth is that you're the greatest kid in the world, and having you as my son... it makes me feel like the luckiest man in the galaxy. _

_So happy birthday, Mikey - know that whatever you do, however you decide to live your life - you'll have one proud father._

_Daddy x_

Mike finished reading, his lips trembling as he tried his hardest not to cry - not in front of his family and friends. He knew how hard it was for Harvey to lay out his emotions like that, and knew he didn't have much chance of hearing it again unless he badly needed the reassurance. He hugged Harvey hard, pressing his face to Harvey's neck and sniffling.

"Thank you," he whispered, feeling Harvey rubbing his back and kissing the top of his head.

"My pleasure, Mikey," he whispered back, letting Mike sit back and smile at him, his eyes twinkling adoringly as he gazed at his father. There was a moment of silence for a second before Nick decided someone needed to break it.

"So which present's your favourite? Mine? Say mine." Mike laughed and rubbed at his eyes slightly before shaking his head. Nick faked a look of disappointment. "Oh. Well then which one?"

Mike waved the card he had just opened at Nick before putting it carefully next to his birthday card from Harvey on the table. The group of children that had been invited were instantly at their sides, wanting to see what it was. Mike moved it and refused to let them look at it - probably because none of them could read very well. He soon got them distracted with his other presents and very soon the condo was loud once more, and Harvey decided to take his leave and retreat back into the kitchen again.

A few minutes later, Donna came in, her eyes oddly bright. Harvey rolled his eyes, assuming she had read his promise to Mike. She hugged him, sniffling slightly before pulling back, a sly grin on her face.

"So what's this I read about you _caring_?"

* * *

><p>The party started to wind down, and soon all the children had left. Donna left to take Mike's Grammy back before leaving herself, and Harvey was surprised when the elderly woman gave him a hug.<p>

"I read that card," she informed him. "Thank you. But I do think that Michael may have already known it all without you telling him."

Harvey shuffled slightly uncomfortably but shrugged. "It's just something he needs to hear occasionally."

She smiled at him softly. "It is. Thank you again, though. I would say take good care of my grandson, but I have quite a strong feeling you would anyway."

Harvey smiled back and said goodbye to both her and Donna. The next to leave were his parents, and now Harvey was just waiting for Nick to leave.

"Nick, I'm pretty sure you don't want to help cleaning up," Harvey said, his arms folded. "You leaving at some point?"

"I _would__,_" Nick said. "But I want to put up Mikey's castle. Please?"

"No, Nick," Harvey said firmly. "Come by a different day - maybe help set it up tomorrow. But Mike's tired - no matter _what _he says," as Mike tried to interrupt indignantly.

Nick wilted but nodded. "Okay. See you later, munchkin," Nick said, giving Mike a hug. "Enjoy your party?"

"It was the _best_!" Mike enthused, mindless of the chocolate coating around his mouth.

Nick laughed. "I'm glad. Alright - see you later, Harv."

"Bye, Nicky."

As soon as the door closed Harvey started to tidy up, but very soon was pulled over to the couch. "Mike, I need to tidy up," he protested, but wasn't exactly showing his protest as he sat down and closed his eyes, feeling Mike crawl onto his lap.

"Thank you," Mike said, snuggling into his chest.

"You're welcome, monkey," Harvey mumbled, bringing his arms up to encircle the small boy. "I'm glad you had fun."

"I really, _really _mean it, Harvey," Mike said seriously, causing Harvey to open his eyes. Being called his name was a rare occurrence now, but he understood it as Mike showing how serious he was.

"And I really, _really _meant it," Harvey replied, rubbing his back. "Everything in that card."

"Even swinging the afterlife?" Mike asked tiredly, starting to suck his thumb.

"_Especially _swinging the afterlife," Harvey told him, smiling. "C'mon - we can't fall asleep. I need to tidy, and you need to somehow move all of your presents into your room."

"Will you help?" Mike asked. "I don't think I need all of them in there."

Harvey nodded, patting his back to make him scoot off his lap and then get down to the floor. "Let's get this cape off," he said, going to take it off.

"No!" Mike protested. "I like it!" He ran around slightly, showing off how it flapped as he ran.

"Very nice," Harvey said. "If a little impractical."

"Like you've never thought about a cape," Mike shot back, flapping it. "Look at the back! I'm a knight!"

"I can see," Harvey indulged him. "Although you look more like a superhero in your cape."

Mike's eyes lit up and he giggled, running around the condo, pretending he could fly.

For the first time in a long time, Harvey had a soft, fond smile on his face all throughout the night.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Hope you enjoyed that :) I tell you what, it took me forever to think of presents, I'm the worst present giver in the history of the world XD But I'd love to know your thoughts! Everything you thought about this chapter would be much appreciated :D **

**And sorry for the delay of this chapter, I lost my mojo whilst writing the NEXT chapter - I'd say the next chapter is about halfway done, so hopefully you should get it FAIRLY shortly, depending on Uni work :/ And can I just say, I'm quite proud of my idea for the next chapter, so I'd love it if you could all tune in when I finally churn it out :)**


	10. Life On Mars

**Hey guys :D As ever, thanks for the reviews :) I'm excited about this chapter, it suddenly struck me and I was just like, "I can have so much fun with this!" Although at the same time my heart was breaking ever so slightly for Harvey... you'll see why :P Hope you enjoy it :D**

**Also - just rewatching some episodes and is it just me or Trevor awesome? XD I actually don't even care about the cliffhanger - I'll no doubt change my mind about this start of season 2 - but seriously; I love him XD He's an uber friend to Mike apart from lots and lots of failures and it's hard to actually put into words what I feel about him but... I'm going to quietly wave a Trevor flag when everyone keeps hating. Anyways. To the story.**

* * *

><p>"Daddy, do I get to come to work with you today?" Mike asked excitedly, trying not to spill his breakfast down himself as he did so. Harvey was attaching his cuff links to his pristine white shirt as Mike asked this, and he couldn't help but smile fondly at the question.<p>

"'Fraid so, bud," he wasn't surprised when Mike let out an excited 'yay!' and ran to his room. Harvey rolled his eyes. He loved taking the kid into work with him, sure, because if he did need to go somewhere he couldn't take Mike, there was always someone willing to babysit - but he nearly always lost him whenever he brought him in, and sometimes the kid would get so excited about being there he would become hyper off nothing, and Harvey could never get work done. And after that of course, Mike would sometimes get tired but refuse to nap on the grounds that he was now 5. So Harvey had to bribe the kid to sleep for a few hours, which meant promising him something good and then just letting Donna go wild with his card.

But he still loved taking Mike with him.

He loved the excited reunion hug he would get when he came home from work, sure, but that just made it plain how much the kid missed him. He preferred having Mike in his eyeline some days.

"Do you have meetings? Can I sit in them with you? I'll be quiet! Look, Uncle Nick bought me 'Lord of the Rings'!" Mike wheedled, clutching said book and Harvey-bear (which over the years they had simply shortened to refer to it as 'H.B').

Harvey smiled at him and ruffled his hair. "I know he did. Is that all you're bringing? I do _not _want to have you wandering again."

"I only went to see Louis!" Mike whined. Harvey hummed as he buttoned up his vest, knowing full well that Louis seemed to get on surprisingly well with Mike and still wasn't sure how he felt about that.

"Just remember my rule," Harvey told him.

"I know," Mike sighed. "Stay where you can see me."

"Or...?" Harvey prompted.

"Or stay where whoever's looking after me can see me."

"Atta boy."

Mike beamed and hugged H.B slightly, looking up at Harvey. "When are we going?"

"Soon," Harvey promised, pulling his suit jacket on. "We just need your shoes on and tied, don't we?" Mike grabbed his small trainers that had Nemo on the side and stuffed them on his feet, pulling at the laces. "Slow down," Harvey chastised. "C'mere," he took the laces and slowly tied them, letting Mike watch what he was doing so he could copy it with the other foot. Mike hadn't _forgotten _how to tie laces, per say, it was more that his _hands _had forgotten. His hands went in a different direction and his fingers tangled in the material. He slowly managed to pull it into a weak knot, however, and blushed slightly as Harvey ruffled his hair. "Good boy. See? You're getting it." Harvey tied it into a double knot and stood up.

"Daddy..." Mike said hesitantly as they walked out the door.

"Yes...?" Harvey replied, using Mike's tone back at him.

"Can I ride up front today?" Mike asked. "I want to sit with Ray!"

"Sorry, kiddo," Harvey said regretfully. "It takes too long to get your seat out and put it somewhere else."

"I don't need to sit on my booster seat!" Mike tried to barter.

"Yes you do," Harvey said firmly as Ray pulled up, smiling at them both. "If someone cut Ray off and he had to brake suddenly, you would be a lot safer in your seat."

Mike whined but got on the seat. Harvey gave Ray a long-suffering smile and got in the other side, helping Mike buckle up. Mike's bad mood was quickly forgotten as Ray passed Harvey a coffee and himself a hot chocolate. After quickly thanking Ray, Mike started to drink, glancing over at Harvey and copying the way he was drinking his hot beverage.

When they got to the firm, Harvey quickly wiped Mike around the chin with a tissue and passed Ray the now empty cups. "Thanks, Ray," he said. "I've got a meeting at 1, if you could be - "

"Donna already told me," he smiled.

Harvey smirked. "Of course she did. C'mon, you," he took Mike's hand.

"Bye, Ray!" Mike smiled, pulling on Harvey and chattering randomly as they walked into the firm.

"Hey, Mike," Bruce - a large security guard - grinned at the small boy.

"Hi, Bruce," Mike replied, looking ecstatic to be in the firm.

"Mr Specter, would you like security to be on standby again?" Bruce smiled.

"We shouldn't have any problems - _should we, Mike_?" Harvey looked down.

"No, I'll be good," Mike quickly replied. "And I'm sorry you got stuck in that ventilation shaft, Bruce."

Bruce waved his arm. "I should've known better than crawling in there to find you. Have a good day," he nodded to them as they walked towards the elevators.

"Thanks, Bruce," Harvey replied.

The elevator dinged as they reached their floor and Harvey stepped out, pulling Mike behind him. "Can I go see Donna?" Mike asked, bouncing happily.

"We'll see her soon, hold on," Harvey rolled his eyes as they walked through the corridors.

"Hey, Mike," one of the many associates who suddenly _liked _the small boy grinned at him. "There's building work going on in the office - want to try on a workman's helmet?" Mike gazed up at Harvey wistfully, who glared hard at the associate. Like he would let Mike wander round something akin to a construction site. "Uh... maybe some other time then," the associate quickly left, practically burning underneath Harvey's glare.

"But, Daddy..."

"No, you're not allowed there when the workmen are busy," Harvey said sternly.

"Harvey, nice of you to finally show up," Louis sniped as he walked past, before noticing Mike. "Hi, Mike," he said, in a completely different tone of voice than he had been using. "You're taller than I remember."

Mike giggled happily. "I'm working with Daddy today," he said proudly.

"Oh, are you a partner now?" Louis asked. "I didn't realise they let 4 year olds be partners."

"I'm _five_!" Mike insisted, but couldn't stop beaming at the game.

"No, I definitely remember going to your fourth birthday. I don't remember your fifth."

"You were _there_!" Mike giggled, pulling on Harvey's hand as he spoke.

"Oh I was? Then I guess you don't want a late present?"

Mike gasped. "A present? I want a present!"

"Louis, you better not just be winding him up - " Harvey warned.

"Come to my office later, Mike," Louis said confidently.

Mike looked delighted, even as Harvey pulled him away to go to his own office. "Daddy, Louis got me a present!"

"I heard," Harvey grumbled, sincerely hoping it wasn't something very impressive. His small, jealous side was showing and a tiny voice in his head muttered that Mike might like Louis more than he did Harvey.

They were just having to walk through the associates' office and Harvey was making Mike stay on one side of him because of the work being carried out on the wiring. He didn't notice a large ladder ahead of them wobbling unstably, and by the time they reached it, it was too late. The ladder started to fall and Harvey quickly pushed Mike forward, making sure it missed the small boy - even as it hit Harvey on the head, making him fall to the floor.

"Daddy?" He heard Mike wail. "Daddy!"

"It's alright, Mikey," he mumbled. "Go find Donna, okay?" He heard small, stumbling footsteps run off and nodded slightly as his eyes closed. "Good boy."

* * *

><p>"Harvey?" He groaned as someone started shaking him slightly. "He's waking up!" He blinked his eyes open blearily and waited for everything to get into focus. Donna knelt beside him, a worried look on her face. "Thank god," she breathed out. "We were about to call an ambulance."<p>

"How long was I out?" He moaned.

"10 minutes," Donna told him. "We did call, but dispatch said to wait and if it was longer than that to call again and they'd send someone. How do you feel?"

Harvey slowly sat up, not appreciating the small crowd that had gathered. He winced and touched the top of his head and pulled his hand away. No blood, but a large lump was already making itself known. "I'll live," he told her, standing up.

"Harvey you should rest!" Donna insisted.

He shook his head, blinking slightly. "I'll be fine," he insisted, before looking around. "Where's Mike?"

"In your office," she said. "Why?"

"Okay," he replied, heading in that direction. He heard Donna tut and knew she was no doubt going to find Jessica - the only person who could possibly make him see sense. Sure, he should probably go get checked out, but first he wanted to make sure that Mike was alright. Once he knew that, he would go to the hospital - he would probably need to get Donna to babysit; or Nick, he wouldn't mind. Hell, even Louis if no one else could.

He got to his office and opened the door, blinking slightly in the sunlight before staring at Mike.

"Mikey?"

"Uh... Yes?"

Harvey blinked and felt _very _confused.

Because sat on the couch, looking at some files, was a completely and irrevocably adult Mike.

* * *

><p>"Donna, I really think he should go get checked out - "<p>

"Good luck trying to convince him."

"He called me 'Mikey'!"

Harvey listened as Donna and Mike argued in hushed tones as he sat at his desk, staring somewhat at Mike. He must be dreaming. His little boy was suddenly _not _his little boy and no matter what Harvey said, nothing was making Mike remember.

He didn't like this dream at all.

"Uh... Harvey?" Mike inched over to him, looking at him with a worried expression on his face. "You should go to hospital," he said, trying to sound forceful and in-charge. All Harvey could think of was a little boy stamping his feet with wobbly lips.

"I don't need to go to hospital," he said in a ragged voice; staring at Mike so intently, the boy - no, the man squirmed and stepped back.

"You hit your head!" Mike tried again. "You were unconscious for ten minutes and you're clearly disorientated!"

"How so?"

"You... when you came into your office you asked _me _if _I _was okay!" Mike said, as if not believing his own words. "You cupped my face with your hands! You called me 'Mikey'! I think that means you're not in your right mind."

"I agree with that," Harvey muttered, hating the fact that his son was _confused _about what would be normal usually.

"I'm... I'm worried about you," Mike admitted, flushing as he said it.

"Don't," Harvey immediately said. "Dadd - _I'm _ - I'm fine, kiddo." He could have kicked himself. The last thing he needed was for Mike to be forever freaked out by his _boss _(and God, didn't that sound weird?) saying 'Daddy's fine,'.

"See?" Mike said desperately. "You called me 'kiddo'! Look, Jessica had to send someone else to the meeting with Dr Green, so we - "

"What?" Harvey jumped out of his chair, causing Mike to startle.

"Uh... Dr Green," Mike reminded him. "She's a scientist - oh, get this though, it's _awesome _- the person she _did _send somehow got turned into a toddler. How freakin' cool is that?"

"Cool," Harvey murmured, sitting back down slowly. This was a weird dream... Unless he was in a coma. Or...

Or he had actually hit his head and in what was only 10 minutes here was 2 years in his head... and none of it had actually happened.

He didn't like to think that that was the case. He much preferred the dream angle. Hell, even being in a coma was better than Mikey not knowing about anything that had happened. He tried to stop staring at Mike, but it was impossibly hard - when he'd first walked in he thought for one awful moment - and yes, he did define it as 'awful' - that Mike had suddenly grown back again, and the regression did wear off. Which was why he had cupped Mike's cheek, kneeling down and asking if he was okay.

Somehow, the thought that Mike had no idea what he was on about - whilst very distressing; was also slightly hopeful - maybe this all _was _just a dream.

Donna walked in. "Harvey, we're sending you to hospital - you're making Mike uncomfortable with the amount of care that you're emitting," she raised an eyebrow at him, before turning to Mike. "Although I have to say, kid, you'll get yourself killed one of these days."

Mike frowned and looked to Harvey in confusion.

"Your laces," she informed him, nodding down at his feet. "You'll trip and die and I don't have the right clothes to wear at your funeral. So tie your laces."

Mike snorted. "Yes, _Mom_," he bent to tie them, before jerking slightly when he saw that Harvey had beaten him to it. He sat there with wide eyes, watching as Harvey retied his laces tighter before glancing over at Donna for help.

"There," Harvey murmured, getting up and blinking as he went dizzy for a second. "You're getting it; we just need to work on double knots."

"Uh... thanks?" Mike said, shuffling away from Harvey slightly. "I'd say something sarcastic but that didn't sound like you were making fun of me... Donna I'm going to go to my desk," he quickly said, jumping up and going to the door. "Make him get checked out," he insisted, flashing a worried glance at Harvey before he was gone.

As soon as he left, Harvey sighed and collapsed on the couch.

"You heard the puppy, Harvey," Donna told him. "Let's get you to the hospital."

"How is this happening, Donna?" He asked, making her do a double-take. He sounded _heartbroken_. "Sure, I missed him occasionally, but... my kid... I just want my little boy back, Donna," he whispered, scrubbing at his face.

"Harvey, what are you talking about?" She asked, looking more concerned than he'd ever seen her look. It suddenly hit him then that - while it was obvious it was different; _no one _remembered it. And it was too vivid for a dream, and he was sure by now he'd have had a sign he was in a coma. Maybe everything that happened _had _all been in his head...

Donna leapt back slightly as Harvey got up and threw his lamp at the wall. "_Dammit_!" He yelled. Donna watched in silence as he took it out on his office, breaking paperweights, throwing files around. When he got his hands on his records she stepped forward.

"Harvey, _talk to me_," she demanded. "Tell me what the hell's going on."

"I miss him, Donna..." He whispered. "I miss Mikey."

"He's not gone very far," she said.

"What?" Harvey didn't know if what she was saying was real or not.

"He went to his desk, Harvey, I'm assuming you'll see him again once you stop freaking him out."

"That's not... that's not _my _kid." He had to make her _see_. Sure, he liked his associate, liked him enough to look after him and start this whole thing but... it wasn't _Mikey_. "I want _my _kid back, Donna," he said, gripping her upper arms. "Why can't you remember? What the _hell _is going on and what's happened to my _son_?"

"Harvey - you don't have a son!" Donna told him firmly. "I've known you for long enough to know that _you _do _not _have a son. We're going to the hospital _right __now _to see what they have to say."

"But Mike - " he cut himself off. He knew he was going to say that Mike would be worried, before realising that _this _Mike was not _his _Mike. "Fine," he grumbled, following her out.

Maybe the doctors _would _have an answer.

* * *

><p>"Mr Specter, what you're describing to us has, in fact, happened in the past," the doctor told him, looking sympathetic.<p>

"So... so I just dreamt it all," Harvey said hollowly.

"There have been certain cases where a patient has been known to dream large chunks of their lives before waking up - they've often claimed that the dreams span years when in reality, they've only been out for a maybe just a few minutes. Psychologists have named this 'Narnia Syndrome'."

"But it was so _real_," Harvey muttered, looking shell shocked.

"I'm sorry, Mr Specter," the doctor said, not looking it. "The good news is that you haven't suffered any lasting damage; but I think under the circumstances you should take a break from work for a while. Also, we find that in some cases, the patient has needed to take anti-depressants when they wake up from their life in the dream."

"Is there anything you can do?" Harvey asked. "To... make me forget whatever I thought I lived?"

If given a choice, he'd rather not know about what - until now he hadn't realised but _was - _his perfect life had contained than having to remember when no one else did.

"I'm sorry, Mr Specter," the doctor said again, although now looking slightly more sympathetic. "Nothing we can find can make us to do that."

When Harvey left the hospital, meeting Donna outside, he felt... empty. At first there was the throbbing hope that all of this was just a dream. But the doctor had shown him studies on different people who had the same experience. And now what was left for him? He had basically nothing outside of work. He didn't have his amazing, beautiful, smiling little boy to cuddle with at the end of a long day. And while normal Mike may show signs of being starved of affection, he doubted he would appreciate it if Harvey suddenly hugged him.

"They prescribed you anti-depressants?" Donna arched an eyebrow. "What for? I've known you for 10 years and I've never known you to be depressed."

"Extenuating circumstances," Harvey muttered. "They told me I should get an appointment to see if I need anti-depressants."

"'Extenuating circumstances'?" Donna repeated. "What's that supposed to mean? You can't just hit your head and _become _depressed! Harvey, _please _talk to me."

Harvey sighed and decided that telling Donna was probably the best solution. If he slipped up with Mike at all she could try and smooth it over. He pulled her over to a bench outside the hospital and sat down wearily. "They decided I suffered from 'Narnia syndrome'," he explained to her. Her mouth twitched in amusement at the name but overall she kept her face serious and nodded for him to continue. "It's this rare condition where someone can be unconscious from something for a few minutes but in their head they had a really vivid dream that can last for years."

"Okay," Donna nodded, as if this sort of thing was normal, every day conversation. "So I'm assuming you dreamt you had a son."

Harvey nodded, knowing how pained his face was but unable to keep it away. Donna took his hand, rubbing at the back of it with her thumb. "So you now feel like you've lost a child."

"It's... it's more complicated than that," Harvey murmured, staring straight ahead.

"How?" Donna asked softly, keeping up the soothing gesture of her thumb circling his hand.

"We went to Dr Green's meeting - the one I apparently missed today."

"Okay..." He could already hear Donna's brain whirring, thinking up endless scenarios - but she was smart; he knew she was close to getting exactly what happened.

"And Mike was turned into a toddler," he told her, his voice in a dull monotone. "And I looked after him until he turned back. But then a few months after he regressed again. And we couldn't fix it."

"So he became your son," Donna finished for him. Harvey nodded, and Donna tried to ignore the fact that his shoulders were shaking slightly. She put it down to being cold and in shock - Harvey Specter didn't do emotion.

Although this was apparently a new Harvey Specter. One that would happily be the father to a genius toddler; one that was apparently a damn good father - she remembered his first few thoughts after he woke up were 'where's Mike?'.

"He was coming to work with me today," Harvey said, his voice thick with emotion. "And there was building work going on in the associates' offices. A ladder fell and I pushed him out the way and told him to get you when it hit me. He... he was crying, Donna," he told her with a shaky voice. "He was terrified. He kept yelling for me but I could barely see; I was that close to passing out. He just... He just wanted his daddy and I - I _wasn't _there. And now I'm not there again and I don't know whether I'm actually dreaming this right here and now or if I'm actually _here _and he's just..." He tailed off, having no idea what he was carrying on to say.

He selfishly hoped that he was dreaming _this_. That all of this was just in his head and somewhere, Mikey was sat next to him, waiting for him to wake up.

"Maybe I just need to make him remember," Harvey muttered, standing up from the bench.

"Harvey, it wasn't real!" Donna insisted. "I don't remember it, so you're not going to make Mike remember it. It was in your head! I'm sorry," her voice cracked and Harvey glanced at her, worried. He got another shock when he saw that she had tears in her eyes. "I wish I could have seen you that happy. I wish I could have seen you both that happy but nothing you do will suddenly make him remember something that never happened!"

Harvey shook his head. "If I had texted you after a meeting telling you to get supplies for a kid, where would you go?"

"What?"

"If you wanted to buy a kid a toy when you were at the office, where would you go?"

"Probably the big toy store on the next street across," she said. "But, Harvey, you - "

"I'll see you back at the office, Donna."

* * *

><p>He found the store she had mentioned and stepped inside, glancing around. He knew exactly what he was looking for and took sure, confident steps towards the soft toy department. Once there he scoured for only a few minutes before seeing exactly what he was looking for.<p>

"Hey, H.B," he murmured, smiling as he picked up the teddy from the shelf, checking it over. To his surprise, the one he picked out had a tuft of hair that was sticking out of the felt ear, whilst none of the others had that. It must have been a fault, but he knew what Mikey's toy looked like. _This _one was H.B.

He bought it and started walking back to the office. He had no idea how it was going to go. Donna was probably right - as usual. He couldn't expect Mike to do anything but slowly back away towards the door, leaving the bear in Harvey's hands.

But he was still not convinced that _this _was the real world. How could he have dreamed all of that? It had been so vivid. _Too _vivid.

Like the small piece of fluff in H.B's ear, or the small, insignificant Lego pieces that sometimes got stuck in the vacuum cleaner or the way Mikey would climb on his lap when he was tired, and always sit in the same way, snuggling up tightly.

He couldn't have just imagined all of that.

"Harvey," Donna said softly as he walked back in, toy store bag obvious. "Please don't do this to yourself."

"I have to make him remember, Donna," he told her. "I have to. Send him here."

Donna pursed her lips but nodded, picking up her phone.

* * *

><p>Mike answered the call from his desk, leaning back in his chair and pulling out his headphones to talk. "Hello?"<p>

"_Mike, Harvey wants to see you in his office."_

"Okay... uh... is he - y'know... alright now?"

There was a sigh down the other end of the phone.

_"He would kill me for telling you but... no. He is very much not alright. He's going to be acting different, Mike," _she tried to explain. _"Look, it's complicated. Just go to his office."_

She hung up, leaving Mike very, _very _confused. He really hoped that Harvey was fine - as much as he was a hard-ass and proclaimed every second of the day that he didn't care, Mike was really worried about him.

He went to Harvey's office, even knocking as he did so. He poked his head through.

"Uh... you wanted to see me?"

"Come in, Mike," Harvey managed to bit back the 'y' it had been instinct for nearly 2 years to add onto that name. He watched in sadness as Mike crept in; almost _worried_. The only time Harvey expected to see him like that was how Mike shyly told him that he'd had a nightmare or that he'd spilt his milk or wet the bed and...

No.

Stop it.

Normal Mike now.

"Uh.. are you... how are you?" Mike asked, and his tone honestly made Harvey want to pull him into a hug.

"I'll be fine," he said shortly, reaching underneath his desk for the bag with H.B. "Mike, I need you to remember - "

"Are you sure?" Mike suddenly interrupted, and Harvey - as ever in tune with his son - could sense he was about to start babbling. "'Cause Donna said you're not alright, and maybe you should take a day off or something, 'cause we don't have any other meetings or important cases, so it should be fine - and maybe you should go back to hospital because you're still freaking me out and - and now you're hugging me..." his eyes widened and he looked over Harvey's shoulder at Donna, who looked the epitome of sadness. She looked like she was physically hurting to see the action.

Harvey - unable to stand anymore of his son's babbling or near hysteria did what had always shut him up in the past. If he could still pick him up he would have done. He would have jogged him on his hip and whispered soothing words of comfort to him. As it was, he had to do the next best thing.

Although he could hear Mike's stunned reaction, the kid had yet to pull away. Harvey knew as soon as Mike had become a toddler that the kid loved affection. Donna had practically smothered him in it and he had loved it. And now he wasn't doing anything to prevent it. He even gripped Harvey's jacket slightly.

"Uh... Harvey, I really think you should go back to hospital," Mike murmured, patting his back slightly. "I mean... thanks and everything but I'm not really the one who needs a hug right now. Is this _you _needing a hug? 'Cause I never really thought you were the hugging type of person and... I don't think choosing me will work well in your favour, I get - "

"Clingy, I know," Harvey said quietly, restraining himself from running his hands through Mike's hair.

"Is this like that guy who had a fit and went into a coma and came out gay?" Mike asked.

"What? No," Harvey rolled his eyes, still not being able to force himself to pull away.

"Did the hit on the head turn your 'caring' switch on?" Mike asked, shuffling slightly, causing Harvey to finally draw back. "'Cause, uh... that was a nice hug and everything but I really didn't need one right now. Try Donna," Mike said, glancing out the window. "She looks sad."

Harvey had a sudden flash to a sick 3 year old who was being gently bounced by Donna while Harvey was getting him another drink.

He remembered hearing the kid say; "I don't like being sick... Harvey looks sad when I am. I don't want Daddy to be sad..."

"Sorry, kid," Harvey said, biting back the 'kiddo'. "Just... just go back to work," he turned away to stare out of the window, not being able to even look at Mike now; his heart aching whenever he did so. Mike, however, walked around to stand next to him so that they were stood shoulder to shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Mike asked softly.

"No," Harvey replied honestly.

"Is it something else Cameron's done?" Mike asked, looking serious and fearful and also slightly angry.

Harvey shook his head. "It's just... nothing. Just go back to work."

"Harvey, I'm trying to help," Mike insisted.

"I know you are, kiddo," Harvey replied, sighing. "You can't help though. Just... just go do work. Okay?"

"Harvey, you have no right to just... to just _dismiss _me like a _child_!" Mike argued, getting angry. "I want to help you - you've helped me before so now it's my turn! So just tell me what the matter is!"

"_You_, Mike!" Harvey suddenly whirled around. "_You _are the matter - and no matter what I do, I can't just..." he sighed and sat down in his chair, rubbing at his face.

"So... you're saying I'm a problem, then," Mike stated, a mask over his face as he tried to sound neutral.

"No... I'm... I'm sorry, Mike. No, you're not a problem, you've never been a problem. I just... I need time."

"Time for _what_?" Mike asked, exasperated. "You're acting like you've just broken up with me! Harvey - what have I done? You want me to quit? You want me to work for a different partner?"

"No!" Harvey groaned, wishing with all his might he could just get hit in the head again. "Mikey, I just..."

"See? Again, you called me 'Mikey'! What's going on with you?"

"I just..."

"Forget it," Mike muttered, leaving the room. "I'm going back to go through the couple of _hundred _pages that Louis has just dumped on me. Call me back if you need something _sane_."

He even slammed the door when he left, giving Harvey an insight into what would be the teenage years...

That he would never experience because it was all in his head.

He stared into the distance, not noticing that Donna had walked in until she had placed a hand on his shoulder. "Harvey - "

"Cancel all my meetings," he told her suddenly, standing up.

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

* * *

><p>Harvey walked into his condo, grimacing as he did so. It felt cold and empty. His stainless steel fridge looked sleek and new, missing the drawings and reminders that were usually stuck to it with magnets. A picture of the two of them at a marine park was missing, but Harvey could almost visualise it in his head. Mike had been cautiously touching the top of a manta ray, whilst Harvey was sat next to him, holding him so that he wouldn't topple head first into the tank.<p>

He gazed around, amazed at how much his condo had changed. He never even realised how domesticated he had become. The child paraphernalia that built up over 2 years was no longer there - the extra hooks near his front door that he been set into the wall lower than the others were gone; the extra shoes from the shoe rack were absent. The assortment of sippy-cups and colourful plastic bowls were gone and there was a severe lack of food in his fridge.

Any spare cushions he had bought had disappeared, the steps for the kitchen counters and toilet were gone. The usual assortment of toys scattered around were gone and it actually _pained _Harvey to see the empty walls and surfaces that used to have framed photos on them.

He hesitantly slunk into Mike's room and felt himself going slightly light headed. The desk and laptop were still there, the bookshelves back up. In the first week that Mike had started to live with him properly they had moved all of the old furniture out. The toy box that Nick had bought and then painted with the kid was gone - hell, the entire bed was gone. It was still it's green colour as opposed to the blue Harvey had gotten used to.

And the card.

The card that Harvey had gotten Mike for his fourth birthday, the one in which he _promised _to always be there for him.

That wasn't there either.

Harvey felt himself sliding to the floor, feeling unfamiliar tears coming to his eyes. He sat on the floor, leaning against the wall and breathing deeply, trying to keep the tears at bay. However, he only had to glance around one more time before losing it, gripping his hair with his hands as he pulled his knees up to his face, sobbing quietly in the empty apartment.

* * *

><p><em>"Are you sure keeping Mikey here is the best thing?" Nick asked, biting his lip as he watched the small boy hug H.B with all his might as his other hand clutched onto Nick's fiercely. Donna sighed as the small boy gazed up with large, watery eyes.<em>

_"Nick, we need to make sure he keeps to a schedule. It's important. And he'll feel much safer and calmer in his own home than staying with one of us," Donna informed him. _

_"Miss Daddy," Mike whispered, not letting go of Nick's hand._

_"I know, buddy," Nick replied, kneeling to rest one hand on Mike's shoulder. "It'll be okay."_

_"Want Daddy," he said, his voice hitching slightly with each breath. _

_"Hey, you just saw him," Nick reminded him. "We can go back tomorrow - okay? I'll even spring for breakfast somewhere nice."_

_"Want Daddy NOW!" Mike suddenly cried out, tears streaming down his face._

_"Mike - do _not _force me to give you a time-out," Donna said. "I know you're worried and upset but think of what your father would say if he could see you."_

_"Don't care!" Mike howled, wrenching his grip from Nick's hand and stamping over to Harvey's room. "Don't want Daddy to die! Daddy can't _die_! I _need _him!" Mike climbed onto Harvey's bed, huddling underneath the duvet and crying onto his pillow._

_"It'll be fine, Mikey," Nick said in a hushed voice, following in and sitting on the bed. "Daddy's not going to die. He'll wake up soon. He's just being lazy. Right, Harv?" Nick looked straight at him._

_"Yeah, Harvey - will you wake up already?" Donna asked, looking in the same direction as Nick. "The kid needs his dad."_

* * *

><p>Harvey was confused. More than confused. The doctor had told him what he was suffering from, showed him all sorts of medical journals to back it up but...<p>

That dream.

It must have been real. It must have been a real situation in the real world. Mikey _needed _him.

And he would do whatever he could to make sure he could get back to his son.

* * *

><p>"Morning, Donna, you're looking particularly beautiful today," Harvey smiled at her.<p>

She blinked. "And you're looking particularly tired today," she shot back, her eyebrow raised. "Did you sleep at all last night?"

"I got enough," he replied, walking to his office.

"You have an appointment today with Jared Hadley," she told him. "9am."

"Send him in when he gets here," he told her, sitting at his desk. He looked through papers. Maybe if he acted through an ordinary day then it would be fine. And if by the end of the day nothing happened...

Well, he would cross that bridge if he came to it.

"Uh... I have the forms ready for Mr Hadley to sign," Mike crept in, laid the papers on Harvey's desk and hurriedly went to leave.

"Mike," the kid turned hesitantly, looking pained. "I'm sorry."

Mike blinked. "What?"

"I'm sorry," Harvey repeated. "About yesterday," he looked down at the forms that Mike had given him while the kid processed his apology. "You forgot a subsection," he said, passing them back. "Type it up again - and have it on my desk before 9."

Mike nodded and gave a small grin, thankful that Harvey seemed slightly more normal. "You act a bit more like this and I'll think that J. Jonah Jameson is a better boss," his mouth quirked into a small smile.

"You're fired," Harvey said gruffly, glancing through the form.

"I... what?" Mike faltered, losing his grin.

"Now get back to work," Harvey finished.

"Aw, Harvey - you're going along with my references," Mike batted his eyelids. "Someone woke up on the right side of the bed this morning."

Harvey grimaced, thinking about his night on the floor of his office. "Seriously, Mike - go back to work. I need this form ready."

"Aye aye, Captain," Mike replied, giving a small smile before leaving. Harvey shifted as soon as Mike left and sighed, rubbing at his forehead. Even when he was jokingly saying that Mike was fired, the faltering smile was almost more than Harvey could bare.

He bit on the top of a pen lid for a few seconds before deciding to try and get to work and shut out all of his thoughts and emotions. He'd managed it well before the incident with Dr. Green, it couldn't be that hard, surely?

After managing to work for an hour, Mike quickly arrived with another copy of the form and was about to leave when Mr Hadley arrived.

Harvey stood up to welcome him, making a gesture to Mike that meant the younger man could stay if he stayed quiet. "Mr Hadley, pleasure to see you."

"Likewise," the man gave a strained smile. "I hope you don't mind, Mr Specter, but I've had to bring my son with me, his usual sitter's ill and my wife's at work."

"That's fine," Harvey said, his heart clenching as he looked at the small, shy little boy stood behind Mr Hadley, chewing on his thumb nervously. "How about I have my associate, Mike, keep him occupied while we talk?" He saw Mike's look of surprise but knew that - okay, not anymore but still - Mike was a big kid. He'd be fine looking after what looked to be a 4 year old.

"That's fine," the man looked relieved. "But, uh... is it okay if they stay in here?"

"Of course," Harvey waved away his concerns and glanced at Mike, who quickly took the small boy to the corner of the room with the circular table and the record player.

Mikey did always enjoy playing over there...

"Now, Mr Specter - about this development. I wanted the plot over these acres of land - " Mr Hadley started talking and Harvey quickly focussed back on him. He couldn't help but occasionally glance over to Mike and the small boy, Freddie.

He didn't know what sort of game Mike had started but Freddie seemed to like it, and was giggling slightly. Mike was grinning, looking pleased with himself.

They talked for 20 minutes before Hadley excused himself to use the bathroom. When Freddie noticed he was gone he became very sullen. Mike looked slightly nervous and glanced over at Harvey for help. The older man quickly stood up, knowing the symptoms of separation anxiety only too well.

"Hey, kiddo," he said softly - and talking to a small boy was like a breath of fresh air. "Don't worry, your daddy'll be right back."

"Where'd he go?"

"Just the bathroom - " Mike told him, seeing the boy rapidly blinking.

"He's using the potty," Harvey said, knowing which word the boy would be more familiar with.

"'s he comin' back?" Freddie asked, his thumb in his mouth.

"He'll be back real soon," Harvey said soothingly. The little boy didn't seem to think that this was good enough and his lip started wobbling. Harvey quickly hoisted him onto his hip, and the little boy - so surprised at this gesture, merely blinked and didn't cry. Instead his little hands clutched at Harvey's jacket and he hid his face in his neck. Harvey rubbed the kid's back, glancing at Mike, as if trying to imagine _his _face on the small body he was cradling.

"Is everything alright?" Mr Hadley had entered, looking concerned.

Harvey smiled at him. "It's fine. See, buddy? Your daddy's back," Harvey let the kid spill from his arms to run at the man's legs, hugging them tightly. Harvey looked on sadly. Is that what other people saw when he was out with Mikey? Did they see the obvious unconditional love between the two?

A sudden wave of longing swept over Harvey and he sighed, turning away. He still had H.B. underneath his desk. But he didn't want to give it to someone else. This little kid probably had enough toys - if the price of his father's lawyers was anything to go by. More than anything Harvey wanted to see his little boy hug his teddy one last time.

But that would never happen.

"... is that alright, Mr Specter?" Harvey glanced up, having completely zoned out of the conversation.

"Yes. That's fine."

"So should I... do I arrange that with you or..."

Harvey had no idea what he was talking about. Mike quickly stepped in. "You just arrange it with Donna - the woman at the desk over there," he pointed to the assistant and smiled at the man and his son on their way out, before quickly turning to Harvey. "What was that?"

"What?"

"You didn't listen to anything he said! And since when did Mister I-don't-give-a-crap become good with kids?"

"It's not that hard, Mike. It's easy - you just need to tell what they're feeling."

"But they're kids!"

"And it's easy to tell when they're upset. God, I mean - whenever you get upset, I - " he literally had to bite his lip from saying any more.

"Okay, I get it, I'm a kid," Mike huffed. "You're the one that told me to keep Freddie occupied. I wasn't just happy to play rather than work."

Harvey smirked at him, glad to have gotten away with it. "Of course you weren't. Don't tell me you would rather have listened to us talking than have been playing."

"In my defence, it wasn't a very interesting meeting," Mike contested. He gave an almost pout at Harvey's chuckle and ruffled his own hair. "Whatever. So - what do I do now?"

Harvey was about to tell him to go do work - _what_ work he had no idea, just work of any sort. But then he saw the bags underneath Mike's eyes. The way he held himself suggested at least one all-nighter.

"When was the last time you slept?" Harvey asked him. Even if he would never see his little boy again; he could still make sure that the adult Mike was semi-well looked after.

"Uh... last night?"

"You're a bad liar."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"When. Was. The. Last. Time. You. Slept?" Harvey insisted.

"I don't know," Mike replied, rubbing at his head. "What is this? Do you _care_?"

"Get some sleep," Harvey said to him, motioning over to his couch.

"What, you're instigating nap time now?" Mike smirked, not taking Harvey seriously. His smirk faltered as he stared at Harvey's face. "Seriously?"

"I need an associate who can type up bylaws, not one that will fall asleep as soon as he turns the computer on," Harvey told him. "I might as well condone it now rather than find you passed out later," Mike still didn't move. "Do it, or I bill you for this conversation."

Mike sat on the couch, before stretching out, grabbing a cushion and using it as a pillow. "Thanks..."

"Get some sleep, kiddo."

* * *

><p>It was now night. Harvey had gotten through the whole day in a completely normal way. He'd even let Mike eat pizza - even if he had insisted that the kid eat some fruit to compensate for the unhealthy meal. He was once again at home, staring at the empty space.<p>

After pondering what to do for a while, he picked up his phone a dialled a number; no longer on his speed dial as it had been when Mike was little.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey, Nicky."

_"Harv? Jesus - what are you calling for?"_

"What, I'm not allowed to talk to my little brother?"

_"Only if someone died. And I'm probably going to be called before you."_

Harvey sighed, having completely forgotten that their relationship was really only closer because of Mike. All he'd really wanted to do was talk to someone. And although he knew that Donna would be there to lend an ear - he somehow didn't think she was the right person for it.

"You would make a great uncle," Harvey suddenly said, his voice soft.

_"What? Harv is this your way of telling me that you're pregnant?" _His brother laughed easily, with perhaps a tinge of concern in his voice.

"I'm not having a baby any time soon," Harvey replied, squeezing his fist tightly so that his nails dug into his palm.

_"Good to know. So, uh... you know I'd be an awesome uncle,"_ Nick suddenly replied. _"You had a kid, dude, it would be the most spoilt kid ever."_

"Don't ever call me 'dude'," Harvey rolled his eyes, his gut spiking as Nick started laying out his action plan for if Harvey ever had a child.

_"And - oh, we could take it to the beach, and the zoo, and I could make a fort and have someone join in without someone saying, 'Don't do that, Nick, you'll damage the silk!'."_

"But you _were _damaging the silk," Harvey argued.

_"Whatever. So... did you just call me to talk about your non-existent kids?"_

That hurt. Harvey knew Nick hadn't meant it in any way but an innocent one; he didn't know what had happened. But still...

"Just called to say hi," Harvey told him. "We should talk more."

_"Okay, I'm pretty sure this isn't my brother," _Nick said. _"If you're being held at gunpoint, say 'monkey'."_

"Monkey?" Harvey queried, the name making him want to curl into a ball.

_"I really hope that doesn't mean you actually are cause I don't even know what your address is, so you're _screwed _if I have to call the police."_

"I'm fine. I'll talk to you later."

_"Sure thing, bro. See ya."_

When he hung up, Harvey reached into his fridge and pulled out the six-pack of beer he had bought for himself on the way back to his condo. He usually didn't keep such drinks - preferring scotch from a nicely locked cabinet - but he decided... different life. Different drink.

When he saw the alcohol in the fridge he almost wanted to hit himself - why would he do that when he knew how dextrous Mikey could sometimes be? The kid could easily just open the fridge and -

He sighed and started drinking.

* * *

><p>After an odd wave of light-headedness Harvey decided to just go to bed. If his days got any more worse, he would be going to the hospital to get this prescription for anti-depressants. He got in bed and pulled a pillow into his arms. When he had finally warmed it with his body heat, he could shut his eyes and almost imagine Mike to be curled up next to him, sucking his thumb contentedly.<p>

Almost.

* * *

><p><em>"Come on, Mikey - I thought you wanted to visit your dad?" Nick asked him, pulling on the little shoulder slightly. Mike gave a wail and jumped from Nick's grasp, going to hide himself in Harvey's wardrobe. Nick sighed and went after him, shouting 'come in!' at a sudden knock at the door. He opened the wardrobe and door and sank to his knees.<em>

_"It's okay, buddy," Nick said softly, watching the little boy sadly as he tried to nestle into Harvey's suits, trying to get close to him. "C'mon - we can go be with him right now if you just - "_

_"What are you two doing?" Donna asked, sounding very confused. _

_Nick glanced down at Mike. "Nothing," he replied. "I was just playing tag. Mikey tried to beat me by getting in the wardrobe. But I think this proves that I'm superior," he grinned at Mike, and was pleased to get a tiny smile from him. "You ready?" Mike finally nodded slightly and plastered himself to Nick._

_When they got in the room, Mike climbed onto the bed cautiously, watching for any sign of movement. He didn't listen to the doctor that came in to speak to Nick and Donna, and just sat and sniffed, rubbing at his eyes as he waited for his dad to wake up.  
><em>

* * *

><p>A loud banging on his door woke Harvey up. He groaned and stood up, his body hating him for the action. He waited until the dizziness had subsided before answering the door.<p>

"Mike?" He moved backwards slightly to let the man in, his eyes wide. "What are you doing here?"

"What'll it be, Harvey?" Mike asked, sitting down on the couch like he owned the place. "Which do you prefer?"

"Excuse me?"

Mike smirked and let his arms rest either side of him on the back of the couch. "Do you prefer the life where you've basically robbed me of anything good - or this one? Where you can allow me to live my life the way I want to?"

"You... so it _was _real," Harvey said, stumbling slightly at the revelation. "And the dreams I've been having..."

"They're real," Mike shrugged, pulling at his skinny tie slightly. "But you need to choose. Stay here and let me have a good life - a successful life. _Or _- go back and be happy yourself; but have me be a miserable child."_  
><em>

"You... you were never miserable," Harvey stuttered, his eyes wide.

"I had my whole life ripped apart, _Daddy_," he spat - and it was a vicious word, it wasn't the loving, honest tone he was used to. "You thought you were being so _noble__, _so _helpful_. All because you couldn't let go of the small child. All because you would rather be happy than letting _me _be happy."

"That's - that's not true at all," Harvey murmured, feeling a strong headache coming on. "You... you love me. You - you said I was a great father."

The cold, distant Mike on the couch shrugged. "I lied. So how about it? Stay here without all that guilt or... wake up and _know _that whatever I say... I wish you'd never adopted me."

Mike's eyes flashed a dark colour poisonously.

_"Daddy?__" _Harvey whirled around, trying to pinpoint where Mikey's voice was coming from. _"Please wake up. I promise I'll never be bad again... Just... please..." _the voice trailed off into sobs and the Mike on the couch snarled angrily.

"Shut up!" He yelled to the sky.

Harvey smirked at him, before walking over and punching him, right in the face. "There's your answer, _kiddo_."

* * *

><p>"Uncle Nick, Uncle Nick!" Nick felt Mike pulling at him, tugging with more ferocity than he had seen in the days that Harvey had been in hospital.<p>

"What is it, kiddo?" Nick asked, rubbing at his face tiredly. The doctor had just been telling them how there was slightly more brain activity (and Nick couldn't _wait _to rib Harvey about that) but he couldn't be as optimistic as they would hope.

"Daddy moved! Daddy moved!" Mike pulled him over to the bed. Nick went over, Donna at his side and they both stared as Harvey's hands started to move slightly.

"I'll get a doctor," Donna said, hastily leaving. Mike and Nick watched as Harvey's eyes began to flutter open.

"Mi...key..."

"Daddy!" Mike jumped up, before being dragged back by Nick.

"Easy, kiddo - let him wake up," Nick said, watching with eagle eyes as his big brother slowly started to regain consciousness.

"But I want Daddy!" Mike wailed, trying to grab for him. Nick quickly pulled him onto his hip.

"Just let the doctor check him first, okay?" He said, moving out of the way as Donna and a nurse and a doctor quickly entered the room. They stood to the side as the doctor started doing a few quick, basic tests.

Both Nick and Donna's hearts fluttered wildly when they heard the doctor say: "Looks good so far, Mr Specter. We'll need to do a scan just to check - but I don't think the injury or the coma will cause any lasting damage," the doctor turned to the other two adults and smiled. "I think junior there wants to see his dad."

Nick quickly let go of Mike, who ran full pelt to the bed and leapt on it - still careful not to jostle Harvey. "Daddy you woke up!"

"'Course I did," Harvey murmured, his eyes closed against the harsh, bright light of the real world. "Couldn't leave you alone with Uncle Nick, could I?"

"Hey!" He heard Nick say, affronted.

"Nicky, the kid looks like he hasn't brushed his hair or changed his clothes in a month."

"I don't know how to use your washing machine!"

Mike ignored the banter and snuggled as tightly into Harvey as he could. He hid his face in Harvey's shoulder and just mumbled 'daddy' over and over again. Harvey managed to pull a weak arm over Mike and cuddled him close, letting out a breath that he felt he hadn't gotten since being hit in the head.

"I missed you, monkey," he breathed out.

"Missed you more," Mike murmured.

"I doubt it," Harvey said weakly. "Hey - didn't H.B look after you?"

"Lost him," Mike whimpered, tears coming to his eyes. "Don't know where he went."

"We'll find him," Harvey said soothingly, feeling sleep trying to pull him back. "You got anything else you can snuggle with?"

"You," Mike replied instantly, starting to suck his thumb. Harvey smiled slightly and rubbed his back.

"I love you, buddy," he said, horrified to find his voice straining and close to cracking as he said it. "You're alright with me, right?"

"Yeah," Mike replied instantly. "You're my daddy," he added simply. "I love you too."

"You don't wish things could have been... different?" Harvey ventured slowly, not knowing if he wanted to hear the answer.

To his relief, Mike shook his head. "Rather live with you as my daddy than not," he said simply, snuggling into him some more.

Harvey breathed out and patted Mike's back with a shaking hand, feeling his body betray him and lull him back to sleep.

It also helped that Mike's body felt much better next to him than a pillow.

* * *

><p><strong>Longest chapter in the world, I think XD Sorry about that - there was so much I was going to write but; like a recent essay I wrote, I knew I had to stop somewhere :P So hopefully you enjoyed that - please review and tell me what you thought :) Not sure when the next chapter will be up - hopefully not too long, but I'll still need to write it; this one has been half written for a while XD Oh, and 'narnia syndrome' is - as far as I could find - not real. Just a made up thing that I thought would be as good an excuse as any ;)<strong>


	11. Harvey Vs Streptococcal Pharyngitis

**Hey guys :D As ever, thanks for the reviews :) You know what's amazing? Sick!mini!Mike :D Oh, and I wikipedia-ed this and realised I would need to change some stuff to make it flow so... You guys don't mind going along with anything medical I say, do you? :)**

**Oh, and _CuppaChar - _have a few good old fashioned potty and pull-up references ;) (I've given you practically everything your heart desires, so I think you should return the favour in 'Letting Go' :P)**

* * *

><p>It was early Wednesday morning when Harvey got a phone call from Mike's teacher. Well... more like tutor. Nick couldn't look after the kid all the time and Harvey had to stop bringing Mike into the firm with him. So Harvey had found a tutor for gifted kids who also doubled up as a babysitter. She had all the proper credentials - she owned her own business and after having had Vanessa look into her, Harvey finally felt comfortable with dropping Mike off at her house 3 days a week. Sometimes weekends too, if there was a sudden meeting he had to go.<p>

"_Hey, Mr Specter, it's Karen. I know you're probably busy but Mike's not feeling too great. Usually I wouldn't bother you, but I have 2 other kids here today, and I really don't want them to catch it - he doesn't look that well. If it's not too much trouble; could you come down?_"

Harvey had groaned after agreeing and putting the phone down. He was in the middle of a big case and the last thing he wanted was for the little boy to be sick. He swore that Mike was a magnet for germs. Usually, yes, Karen wouldn't bother him until he came to collect Mike, and just seeing the kid's face, he would know how bad Mike felt. Harvey just hoped it wasn't another throat infection. Mike had at least 3 already that year.

"Donna, I need to see Jessica - is she free?" He asked, stepping out of his office. Donna showed no indication that she had heard him but he knew that she had. After a few moment of typing she looked up.

"She's free for another 10 minutes before an hour meeting - but then she's free all day after that. Can't it wait?"

Harvey shook his head. If Mike was looking so ill that Karen felt the need to call him, it was best to get him as quickly as possible. "I need to leave."

"Is everything alright?" She asked. She had vaguely heard his cell going off but left him to it. Harvey had given Karen his cell as the first port of call if she needed him - usually because she was very competent and knew when was appropriate to call - and when she _did _call, she had valid reasons.

"Mike doesn't feel well," he replied, putting his jacket on before going to see Jessica.

Donna frowned - she knew that Mike's child minder/tutor wouldn't call for no reason. "What's wrong with him?"

"She didn't say. Reschedule as much as you can for the next two days," he told her, being cautiously optimistic that it wouldn't be much longer than that until Mike felt better.

As it turned out; he should probably have rescheduled as much as possible for the next 2 weeks.

* * *

><p>"Mr Specter, hi," Karen answered the door. Her short, mousy brown bob looked quite messy, and Harvey fervently hoped it wasn't because of Mike. "Sorry to pull you out of work, but he's really not himself."<p>

"It's fine, Karen," he replied. "What's wrong with him?"

"He's not been talking much, and he's sucking his thumb a lot," she told him. "And he won't eat or drink. I think he's got a headache too. And he's been getting slightly warm over the day. I just wanted to be on the safe side."

"It's fine," he repeated. "You did right, calling me. I'll get an appointment with his doctor as soon as I can." Karen nodded and turned her head, calling for Mike gently. The little boy slowly made his way down the hall to the front door, his eyes lighting up slightly when he saw Harvey.

He didn't shout 'Daddy!' as was custom whenever they were reunited, but merely slowly went over, pushing his face into Harvey's suit pants and sucking his thumb, sniffing slightly.

The kid really wasn't well.

"Hey, monkey," Harvey said softly, kneeling down regardless of his expensive trousers. "Karen said you don't feel too good today. That right?"

Mike nodded and rubbed at the front of his neck, making Harvey sigh. He severely hoped that Mike didn't have another throat infection but it looked more and more likely.

"Okay, buddy - we'll go home and see if we can make you feel better," Harvey said, softly stroking Mike's cheek before quickly feeling his forehead with the back of his hand.

Yep. He was warm.

Harvey stood back up and initially took Mike's hand, but the kid made a very quiet wailing sound and reached up to pull on Harvey's trousers just at his belt by his hip. "Okay, spider monkey, it's alright - up we get," Harvey immediately took him into his arms, not really liking the lethargy that came with his illness as Mike just rested against him, not even attempting to grip onto Harvey's collar or shirt tightly. "Thanks again, Karen; I'll see you later."

The woman nodded. "Keep me updated. Bye, Mike - feel better soon."

Harvey glanced to his shoulder but Mike hadn't made a move to respond. "You going to say goodbye to Karen, Mike?" He asked. The tiniest of movements was what Harvey could only assume as a shake of the head. "Mike..."

"It's fine, Mr Specter," Karen reassured him. "I noticed he didn't really want to talk today. I think it hurt his throat."

Harvey bit back a groan.

Definitely another throat infection.

* * *

><p>When they got back to the condo, Harvey immediately fished around in a cupboard and pulled out some liquid ibuprofen before pouring some lukewarm water into a cup and mixing it with orange cordial. "Okay, Mikey," he said, putting the little boy down so that he could shed his jacket. "Let's get this down you," he moved the spoon near Mike's mouth, happy when the kid just opened it without complaint. However, that then made him catch a glimpse of the back of his throat.<p>

"Hold on a second, buddy," Harvey said, grabbing a small torch from his 'dad drawer' in the bedside table in his room. "Open wide," Mike rubbed at his eyes but opened his mouth, letting Harvey look down it. The older man had to bite back a curse at the sight of Mike's red, swollen tonsils. He could see patches of white on them and knew this would be a bad case. "Okay, kiddo - here's what we'll do," he tried to keep his voice light, even though he was silently panicking inside. He _knew _that while - yes, puss on tonsils was bad, it wasn't _bad _bad.

But that didn't stop him from freaking the hell out.

"We're going to go back to Dr. Bowden and he's going to check you over. Alright?"

Tears started leaking from Mike's eyes and Harvey immediately picked him up. "Aw, Mikey, it's okay," he said reassuringly, knowing his 'okays' were going high pitched and heading into patronising-baby-voice territory. "It's okay... come on, you want to bring H.B to the doctor's?"

Mike gave a nod and Harvey went to find the teddy, happy that he was standing to attention at his post next to Mike's pillow. "Here he is - are you ready to go?"

Mike sniffed and hid his face in Harvey's neck. The man sighed and rubbed at his back, finding a packet of tissues and pulling one out before putting the rest in his pocket. He swiped at Mike's nose and screwed the tissue up, putting it in the bin.

"Daddy..."

Harvey's heart leapt slightly. It was the first thing Mike had said to him since he picked him up from Karen's. It also hurt to hear how croaky and pained his voice was.

"Yeah, Mikey?"

"Don't want doctors," he whispered.

"I know, baby," Harvey whispered back, bouncing him slightly as he tried to locate his keys. "I know... But he'll make you better; and you know if he doesn't then Daddy'll sue him," the world's smallest smile was cracked and Harvey sighed, kissing Mike's forehead. "Come on - sooner we get there, the sooner we can come home."

* * *

><p>Thankfully, the office was practically empty - Harvey didn't want to think about how Mike would have reacted if there were other kids, running around, being loud. The kid had already tried weakly to get away when they walked from the parking lot into the doctors - and there were only a few people walking around and having conversations.<p>

They got into the doctor's room with little fuss and soon Harvey was sat on the examination table with Mike on his lap. The small boy was squeezing H.B tightly and trying to press himself back into Harvey as much as possible. Dr. Bowden smiled at them both.

"Hello again - so what is it this time? Mikey, does your dad need an exam?" He smiled at Mike, who gave a small smile back. Harvey once again praised whatever deity it was that sent them the good doctor. He was extremely good with children - as any paediatrician had to be - and Mike liked him. He was very hard to shock as well, and even that one time they had to come in because Mike had 'accidentally' shoved a piece of lego up his nose (On Nick's watch, no less, and hadn't _that _been a fun phone call to receive at work) he hadn't batted an eyelid.

The fact that he was calm made it infinitely easier on both parent and child. Even if he found out that Mike had a rare flesh-eating skin disease then he would probably keep smiling at them and send them to hospital.

And that was another illness to add to Harvey's very long list of 'Things I Will Freak Out Over At Night When They Mention It On The News And The Next Day Mike Has Something That Could Be Classed As A Symptom'.

He might need to come up with a shorter title.

"So, what's the problem, boys?" The doctor asked.

"I think Mike has a throat infection," Harvey told him.

"Another one? That can't be nice," he directed this last bit at Mike, who sniffed and shook his head. "Okay. You know the drill, Mike." The little boy wordlessly opened his mouth and let the doctor look down it. "That looks sore," Dr Bowden commented. Mike nodded and decided he would much rather suck his thumb than let someone look down his throat.

Harvey sighed and went to take the thumb out, but the doctor just shook his head."It's okay - I got a good look. What else is wrong?"

"Mikey, you want to tell the Doc what hurts?" He asked in a soothing voice.

"Head. Thwoat. Too hot. Neck."

"Your neck hurts?" The doctor asked. Mike nodded and the doctor cautiously touched it. He whistled. "Those are some impressive lymph nodes, kiddo."

"What's wrong with him?" Harvey asked. He didn't like to sound terrified and for some awful reason he sounded close to tears but... Mike was hurting.

"Your son has an impressive case of tonsillitis," Dr Bowden told him. "Again."

Harvey sighed. "So... just do what we did before?" He asked.

"I think - because we've been down this road a few too many times for my liking," the doctor said, "I think it would be best to schedule Mike in for a tonsillectomy."

Harvey swore he could feel the blood drain from his face. He knew he must look stupid, but he clutched Mike tighter to himself. "An operation? Isn't that a little extreme?"

"Harvey, relax," Dr Bowden said, smiling. "I've sent hundreds of my patients to get them and it's always gone really well."

"But surgery's risky," Harvey said obviously.

"Harvey," Dr Bowden sat on his chair, crossing his legs. "Of course surgery is risky. There is _always _risk in surgery. But tonsillectomies are some of the less riskier operations. I'm assuming you'd be going to a private hospital - you'll be paying for a top surgeon and Mike is otherwise in very good health."

Harvey let out a shaky breath.

"Daddy?" Mike's croaky, panicked voice did nothing to help Harvey's fear. "Dun' want 'ectomy. No 'peration. Dun' want one."

"Oh, I know, buddy," Harvey rocked him. "I know..."

"You'll feel a lot better afterwards, Mike," Dr Bowden told him gently. "Trust me."

"No 'peration," Mike started to sob, even though it pained him to do so. "Daddy p'ease..."

Harvey looked at the doctor with heartbroken eyes. "Here, Harvey," the doc passed him a print out. "Everything you need to know about tonsillectomies. I'll schedule one soon."

Harvey sighed but nodded. "Okay. Thanks, Doc."

"No problem," he shook Harvey's hand. "I'll check up on my favourite patient afterwards," he smiled at Mike, even though he was still crying slightly. "You should give him plenty of warm fluids," Dr Bowden instructed. "And Tylenol and ibuprofen whenever he needs it. I'm going to get in touch with your hospital and schedule an operation. Okay?"

Harvey nodded, rubbing at Mike's back. "Anything else?"

Dr Bowden nodded. "Tell your brother he still owes me money."

* * *

><p>"All better!" Mike insisted, pulling at Harvey's arm. "No 'peration."<p>

"Mikey," Harvey sighed, pulling him back into his comfortable hold on his lap. "I know you don't feel well. If you were better we both know you wouldn't be talking like that. I know you're scared, but - "

"Dun' want 'peration!" Mike wailed, sobbing into Harvey's chest. "P'ease, Daddy!"

"I know you don't want an operation, buddy," Harvey whispered, cradling him close. "But you'll feel much better. Now," his voice changed, trying to keep Mike's mind off the subject. "You want a drink? And we've got a lot of films here that won't watch themselves. Interested?"

"Tired," Mike murmured, still crying slightly.

"Okay then - nap time," Harvey said. He got up off the couch, settling Mike on it.

"No, Daddy! With you!" Mike wailed.

"I'm coming right back, Mikey," he said. "I'm just getting you a drink," he quickly heated some water until it was warm and made some juice, putting it in what was essentially a baby bottle and bringing it back.

"Not a baby," Mike whimpered unhappily.

"I know," Harvey said patiently. "But you're sick, buddy. And I know what you're like when you're sick." With that, he pulled Mike back onto his lap and held the bottle, putting it against Mike's lips. "It's alright, monkey," Harvey whispered. "I just want you to be hydrated. C'mon. Drink something."

Mike closed his eyes but started to suck at the bottle, taking slow sips, glad that it didn't irritate his throat and in fact actually seemed to soothe it. He was about halfway down before he fell asleep, his head falling against Harvey's chest. However much Harvey wanted to stay with him, he needed to do a few things while Mike was out. He slowly managed to manoeuvre out from underneath the small boy and covered him in a blanket, putting H.B next to him.

He quickly grabbed some light pyjamas and a pull-up. Whenever Mike was ill - no matter what kind of illness - he always got very lethargic; even if he could tell he needed the toilet, he didn't have the energy to get up or even let Harvey know. Harvey very gently changed Mike into a pull-up and pyjama bottoms and rubbed at his forehead, sighing.

He wished _he_ had someone to cry onto.

His fear of Mike getting surgery was possibly even worse that the kid's own fear. At least Mike would be asleep through it all. Harvey would be pacing up and down for however long the operation took, thinking about everything he had read up on. He knew he shouldn't be thinking about it, but for as long as Mike was ill all he would think about would be how the morbidity rate associated with tonsillectomies is 2 to 4% due to post-operative bleeding; and the mortality rate is 1 in 15,000, due to bleeding, airway obstruction, or the anaesthesia.

And he really needed to stop reading up things on wikipedia.

* * *

><p>After a few hours, Mike started to rouse, causing Harvey to quickly kneel next to him. "Hey, monkey," he said. "How do you feel?" Mike sniffled and shrugged, his eyes closing once more. "You need the potty?"<p>

In recent months, Harvey had started referring to the toilet as this; Mike had occasionally done it whilst talking like a child - as he did when he was excited or sick. He found that Mike didn't mind - even once they had been sat discussing one of Harvey's cases. ("Yeah, but the patent should stop all claims afterwards; and how would you check to see if it's been falsified?" "Hold that thought, kid, I know that wriggling. You need the potty?")

Mike gave a lethargic nod but made no move to get off the couch. Harvey sighed, knowing his role only too well when Mike was ill. "Okay, kiddo, here we go."

He picked him up slowly, taking him to the toilet. Usually by this point Mike would tiredly get down and go into the bathroom, letting the door half close. When he was sick though... He didn't really care. "You want some help, bud?" Harvey asked softly. He felt Mike nod again and nodded in return. He slowly helped Mike take off his pyjama bottoms and pull-up - not missing the frown on the kid's face when he saw it - and basically had to sit him down on the seat, helping him sit upright with an arm braced around his back.

He ran his fingers through the slightly sweat-damp hair as Mike sat there, and soon pulled him back off, making him stay still as Harvey cleaned him up.

It was a testament to just how bad Mike felt that he didn't even bother trying to stop him. After pulling his underwear and pyjamas back up and helping the kid wash his hands, Harvey took him back to the couch.

"Let's have a bit more to drink," Harvey said softly, warming up some more juice. "How do you feel?"

"Tired," Mike huffed. "Thwoat hurts. My eyes are sore, Daddy," he whined, plastering himself to Harvey's side.

"Aw, buddy," he sighed in commiseration. "Anything else?"

"Head hurts. Too hot. Sad."

"You're sad?" Harvey asked, bouncing him slightly on his knee.

"Don't want to be ill," he sobbed into Harvey's chest. "Don't want 'peration, Daddy - p'ease!"

"I'm sorry, baby," he whispered, blinking rapidly. "You have to have it. And just think of all the attention you'll get after it. And the ice cream."

"Ice cweam?" Mike snuffled.

"Yup," Harvey replied, stroking his cheek. "As much as you want," his phone started ringing and he gracefully answered it and held it to his ear whilst cuddling Mike. "Hello?"

_"Hey, Harv - quick question. I know you're a busy lawyer and stuff but I have this exhibition on soon and I thought, maybe, y'know - if you weren't too busy I could score you a ticket to come down?" _Harvey sighed. His brother sounded really eager - and in the past Harvey had missed a few exhibitions and Nick; whilst not openly disappointed, had definitely not been himself.

"Nicky, I'd love to, really - you know I love your photography - but Mike's sick, and I don't think I can really leave him on his own at any time soon."

_"Aw, that sucks. What's wrong? 'Nother infection?"_

"Yeah. Bad case of tonsillitis. Doc's scheduled him to get them removed soon."

_"Ouch. How is he?"_

"Miserable."

_"I'll come round!"_

"Nick, I'm more than likely going to come down with something after spending all my time with him - you've got an exhibition, you don't need to be sick for it."

_"No, it's cool - I'll be round soon!"_

Harvey sighed and put his phone to one side, glad that Mike had fallen asleep again.

In the time it took for Nick to get there, Harvey had wet a flannel with cold water and left it lightly over Mike's eyes, remembering what the kid had said about his eyes being sore. Hearing the knock on the door, Harvey made no move to answer, knowing that Nick only knocked out of politeness, walking in as soon as he had done so.

"Hey, Harv - how's the kid?" He peered over the couch to see Mike cuddled up close to Harvey, small patches of red on his cheeks.

"Sick," Harvey replied, sighing.

"So you're looking after him in a suit? Really?" Nick looked disdainfully at the three-piece suit that Harvey had yet to change out of.

"I got called to his child minder's from the office. I haven't had a chance to change. We went straight to the doctor's. Speaking of," Harvey said, surveying Nick, "Dr Bowden says you still owe him money?"

Nick avoided Harvey's gaze and instead wandered over to the big window. He glanced at the large play castle on the balcony and grinned. "I knew you'd cave eventually," Nick crowed, changing the subject. "The kid did the puppy-eyes, didn't he?"

Harvey glanced over to what Nick was looking at. Originally they had set up Nick's birthday present to Mike in the living room. It didn't really give them that much space to move but Mike had loved it. However, a week or so ago, Mike had been gazing outside at the warm weather mournfully, and kept glancing back to Harvey, doing some paperwork at the table. After some pleadings, they had reached a compromise. Harvey would sit at the table on the balcony and do his work and Mike could move his castle onto the balcony.

Harvey hadn't gotten much work done that day, constantly glancing over to make sure Mike didn't topple.

"Unca Nick?" The soft sigh from his lap made Harvey look down, immediately running his fingers through the kid's hair.

"Hey, squirt!" Nick grinned and bounced over, sitting cross-legged on the carpet in front of the couch. "How are you?" Mike's lip wobbled. "Aw, that sucks. But I heard you're going to get better real soon!" Tears started forming in Mike's eyes. "Well yeah, it's going to be scary, but I'm sure your dad'll be right next to you all the time - I'll bring round ice cream!" Nick tried to bribe him.

Mike's eyes peeped out from being the thumb in his mouth. "'Nilla?"

"'Nilla with chocolate chips," Nick promised him. "Hey, I was told that you got a certificate from your tutor for something - wanna show me what it is?"

Mike slowly moved off Harvey's lap - and Harvey had no idea how his kid brother was doing this but soon Mike was actually _away _from Harvey and pulling Nick's hand, toddling over to the fridge and pointing towards the colourful, shiny paper stuck there which declared that Mike had done something extraordinarily well.

"I'm not surprised," Nick said, watching as a wan smile of pride appeared. "How many stars did you get for that?"

Mike - his thumb still in his mouth and the other hand still holding Nick's - pointed with a few fingers of the hand in his mouth over to the dry-erase whiteboard that was hanging on the wall of the kitchen. The board was an idea of Harvey's. One day after a particularly spectacular tantrum - after trying to reason with Mike's adult side had failed and Harvey was never strung out enough to deliver even a half-hearted swat to the backside - Harvey had brought a whiteboard back from the office that could also hold magnets.

A few calls by certain stationary shops and Harvey had a handful of star shaped magnets and a black marker pen. Their deal was that if Mike was good or did something well, he would receive a star. If not, he got a sad face drawn on the table which listed the days. Then Harvey did some sort of advanced maths to decide just what kind of a treat Mike would get for having a certain number of stars against a certain number of sad faces.

It had worked well so far - Mike usually never had more than 6 sad faces an entire week and (although Nick had a thought that Harvey was just really soft and giving out stars to see Mike smile) a hell of a lot more stars. There was also a small bit in the corner which was a parental to-do list that said such things like, 'Tidy Mike's room', 'Buy more juice' and then 'buy more sweets'. The last of which was written in wobbly handwriting and Nick wondered if Harvey was aware of that last one yet.

"Look at all these stars!" Nick exclaimed, counting them on the board. "It's only Wednesday and since Monday you've got 12!"

Mike frowned and counted them. "10," he said, looking up at Nick as if worrying his counting was bad.

"Nope, cause I think Uncles should be allowed to hand out stars," he dipped his hand in the star box which was set high out of Mike's reach - even with a chair - and pulled out two, smiling at Mike and putting them up.

"Why?" Mike croaked.

"Cause you're being brave," Nick shrugged. "Tell you what - as soon as you've had this operation, I'll come back here and put a hundred stars on the board."

Mike's eyes bugged out of their sockets. "Really?"

"You bet. I want everyone to know I have the bravest nephew in the world," Nick grinned at the small boy.

Mike - showing less lethargy than before - scampered back to the couch where Harvey was just coming back after getting changed. "Daddy - Unca Nick said he's gonna put up a hundred stars on my board!"

"Is he now?" Harvey asked, settling Mike on his lap once more. "Isn't that nice of him?"

Nick smirked at him as he walked in and took a seat on the couch rather than the floor this time. "What can I say? I'm like, the best Uncle ever."

Harvey smirked back, before directing his attention to Mike. "How you feeling, monkey?"

Mike shrugged. "Better."

"That's good," Harvey smiled happily, rubbing Mike's back. "You still sad?"

Mike nodded. "But I'm not so scared anymore."

Harvey grinned widely.

* * *

><p>They had a slightly rocky moment when they got the letter through the door telling them where and when the operation would take place but all in all, Mike was trying to forget about it. Instead, he focussed on the promise of ice cream, presents and - most of all - Harvey's continuous presence.<p>

Harvey had gotten a phone call from Jessica on the scheduled day of the operation. Everyone at the firm, it seemed, knew about the little boy's tonsillectomy and apparently she would come up to visit afterwards with a bagful of cards from people.

Mike had been avoiding Harvey for most of the morning - which he found particularly odd. He'd assumed that the closer it came to the time, the more he'd have to fight to pull Mike from a tight grip around him. It was while he was packing a small bag for Mike that he heard the shuddering breaths. After glancing around a few times he closed his eyes, sighing, before kneeling and looking under the bed.

"It's okay, Mikey," he whispered, reaching under and sliding Mike out towards him.

"I'm scared!" He wailed, breath hitching as he tried to gulp down air, even though it hurt him to do so.

"I know, buddy," Harvey closed his eyes, breathing in the smell of freshly washed hair. "Daddy's scared too."

"Really?" Mike peeked up at him.

"Really - it's okay to be scared. But there's nothing to be scared of," Harvey tried to reassure him.

"Then why are _you _scared?" Mike sniffled.

Harvey paused. He couldn't say the million and one reasons _why _he was scared, because that would freak Mike out no end. Instead, he just shook his head and tapped Mike lightly on the nose. "Because I'm a silly Daddy. C'mere," he stood up, holding Mike on his hip. "What do you want to take with you?"

Mike sniffed and shrugged. He pointed to H.B and Harvey reached over and put him in the bag. "I've got clothes and some books - do you want anything else?" Harvey asked him. Mike shook his head and buried his face in Harvey's neck. The older man glanced at the clock and sighed. "C'mon, buddy," he said, picking up the bag. "Time to go."

Mike wailed and clutched at Harvey. "I know," he shushed, "I know - but you'll be fine. I'm going to be right there with you. I promise."

* * *

><p>After they got to the hospital and got checked in, Harvey was helping Mike into the papery hospital gown when he heard the knock on the door. He waited until Mike was sat in the bed before opening the door. His mouth fell open as Nick, Donna, Jessica and Louis piled through the door.<p>

"What are you doing?" He asked, frowning slightly. He certainly didn't want the kid overexcited just before the operation.

"Getting ready to start our barbershop quartet," Nick rolled his eyes. "What do you think we're doing, Harv?"

Mike smiled at him happily and held his arms out to be pulled into a hug, before happily being seated on his Uncle's lap. "Ice cweam?"

"Sorry, squirt, ice cream comes later," Nick told him. "Soon as you're awake after this I'll bring a whole tub."

"'Nilla 'n choc chips?" Mike whispered.

"The biggest tub of vanilla and chocolate chips you have ever seen," Nick replied confidently. Donna was soon at Nick's side, cooing slightly and brushing back Mike's hair from his face.

"Hi, sweetie - how do you feel?" Mike frowned at her. "Silly question, huh? When is it?" She turned to Harvey.

"Soon," he replied in a quiet voice. "Doc's going to come in soon to wheel him there," he coughed slightly and pretended to be taking stuff out of Mike's backpack. Jessica rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Relax, Harvey," she said, seeing how tense he was. "Just relax. I've known some clients use this hospital. It's fine. Besides," she said, smiling slightly, "do you really think they're going to screw anything up when there are 3 lawyers - one of whom is a poppa bear - a law assistant and a..." she glanced at Nick. "Three lawyers in the same room, Harvey," she repeated, not knowing how to describe Nick (who at that point was making bear impressions for Mike's amusement).

He smiled at her slightly but swallowed as the doctor walked into the room, flanked by a nurse. "Okay, we have too many people in here," the doctor said, though not without an apologetic tone. "Anyone who isn't related will have to leave, I'm afraid."

"Ha! In your face, Louis!" Nick crowed. "I'm actually related!" Louis rolled his eyes but followed Donna and Jessica outside.

"Nicky," Harvey said, tipping his head towards the door with a voice that clearly said 'don't mess with me'. Nick sighed but nodded, slowly tipping Mike back onto the bed.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll see you later, Mikey - don't worry, choc chip ice cream all the way!" Harvey decided to wait until Mike was out before telling Nick that some of the _point _of having ice cream after a tonsillectomy was that it was soft, cold and - most of all - _smooth_.

He would have to compromise with chocolate ice cream.

"Mr Specter, we're about to go up," the doctor told him. "You can't come into theatre, but you can follow until the doors."

"When - " Harvey swallowed past a lump in his throat and tried again. "When are you going to..." he trailed off.

"Put him under anaesthetic?" The doctor suggested. Harvey nodded. "In the theatre."

"Is there no way you can do it now?" Harvey asked, stroking Mike's head as the kid clung to his side desperately.

"Well, yes - but I don't have the anaesthesiologist with me," the doctor said unsurely.

"We can wait," Harvey said, reaching into Mike's backpack to pull out H.B. "Here, kiddo, you hug H.B. for a while." Mike took him into his arms and squeezed tightly, eyes bright with still-to-be-shed tears. "It's alright," he whispered, rocking Mike, pretending the doctor and nurse weren't stood there awkwardly, waiting for the anaesthesiologist to get there. "It's alright. You're doing so well. I'm so proud of you, Mikey..."

Finally, the anaesthesiologist arrived and nodded at them, setting the canister of gas she was going to use in place attached to Mike's bed so they could wheel him down to theatre whilst unconscious. They also started attaching wires and tabs to monitor his oxygen and heart rate before they did it. The steady beeping both made Harvey calmer and also made him freak the hell out. "Dad, we're going to put him under now. I'd estimate we'll be finished in maybe just under two hours," the anaesthesiologist said to him.

Harvey nodded, moving to the side as the anaesthesiologist came closer, holding the mask.

"Daddy," Mike whimpered. Harvey clutched at his hands.

"It's okay," he soothed. "You're just going to sleep for a little bit. When you wake up, I'll be right here. Shh," he soothed, as Mike tried to reach out for him. "You're such a brave boy," he said, running his hands through Mike's hair. "You're my brave, brave, boy," Mike had the mask on now and was focussing on Harvey's words, his eyelids slowly drooping. "That's right, baby," he whispered. "Just go to sleep. Daddy'll be here when you wake up. That's right, Mikey..." he kept talking until the anaesthesiologist officially declared the small boy unconscious.

"Like I said, just under two hours," the doctor told him as they started to wheel the bed out. "Feel free to stay in here for it." The doctor gave him a swift smile before leaving, letting Harvey walk to the window and look out, not caring how his vision was blurring and he could feel hot tracks running down his cheeks. He clenched his fists tightly to try and ease the shaking in his hands.

"Harv?" Nick walked in hesitantly, after seeing Mike's bed wheeled away. "They sent the munchkin to sleep?" Harvey nodded, not trusting his voice. "How long do they think it'll take?" He asked quietly, unnerved to see his brother without any of his barriers up.

"Just under two hours," Harvey said thickly. He jumped at the sudden hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry," Nick said softly. "He'll be fine. It's just tonsils. I mean, sure they're putting a scalpel down his throat and all but... Sorry, don't think about that. C'mon - he'll be fine and you know it," Nick smiled at Harvey who was still shaking. "It's okay, big brother," Nick reassured him, completely unprepared for Harvey to turn and fall into his arms, shuddering on his shoulder. "Oh. Uh... it's alright," he soothed. "It'll be fine."

"But what if something happens to Mikey?" Harvey whispered. He just had to think about Mike's small, fragile little body laying out on the surgeon's table and a whole new wave of fear swept over him.

"Nothing will," Nick said easily. "He's got you looking out for him."

"I'm not allowed in the theatre."

"No," Nick agreed. "But it's _you_. Even if you're not in there you're looking out for him. That counts for plenty."

* * *

><p>After having annoyed everyone in the vicinity with his nervous pacing, Harvey finally sat back down - just in time to see a bed being wheeled back to his son's room. He got off the chair - and Donna, not having spotted the bed at first, tutted at his unwillingness to stay sitting - and followed them in.<p>

"How's he doing? Did it go okay? Were there any complications?" Harvey asked quickly, immediately going round the side of the bed as soon as they'd brought it to a halt, unclipping various wires and re-clipping others. He sat on the chair next to the bed and took Mike's hand, running his other hand through the little boy's hair. He grabbed H.B. from where he had been placed before Mike had been wheeled down - obviously not allowed in theatre - and put him next to Mike.

"He's fine," the doctor told him warmly. "No complications whatsoever. There was a little spot of bleeding, as is common, but we sealed that with some silk thread ties. Don't worry," he added. "They just fall away on their own, you won't need to get them removed."

Harvey breathed out and seemed to almost fall against the chair he was sat in. He soon sat back up. Now less of a worried father and more businesslike lawyer. "How long before we wakes up?" He asked, looking down at the small boy who had a simple oxygen mask around his mouth and an IV drip in his arm that was no doubt giving him some low dose pain meds.

"I'd say between 45 minutes to an hour," the doctor informed him. "He'll be groggy - might be a bit confused. He won't be in much pain though," he assured Harvey. "The anaesthetic will still be in his system. But tomorrow," he whistled slightly. "It'll probably hurt quite a bit."

"How soon can he eat?" Harvey asked, wincing at the thought of Mike in so much pain.

"I'd say start him off on water or ice chips first," the doctor told him. "We'll keep you in bulk supply," he grinned. "I'll check tomorrow and decide."

"He's already not eaten anything," Harvey protested. "Surely he should eat _something_?"

"Mr Specter," the doctor surveyed him over his glasses. "Do I tell _you _how the law works?" He smiled at Harvey's sigh. "He'll feel hungry but he won't be able to eat anything today anyway. He'll more than likely be able to eat tomorrow. Just wait it out. If there are any problems," he added, on his way to the door, "just press that button." He pointed over to the call button before smiling and taking his leave.

As soon as he had left, Nick, Donna, Jessica and Louis flocked back into the room. Nick grabbed a seat whilst Donna grabbed the other - leaving Louis grinding his teeth and Jessica shaking her head in amusement. "Harvey, I'll need to go back to the firm - you've been gone for so long your paperwork is really stacking up. Did the doctor say how long Mike will be recovering for?"

Harvey shook his head. "I think it'll be about 2 weeks," he told her.

She sighed, but knew it was unavoidable. If it were any other employee she would have gotten them to hire a babysitter and come in to work. But Harvey wasn't just any other employee. He was also a good friend. And she knew what he was like when Mike was sick.

"Oh," she just remembered something as she was leaving. She rummaged into her bag and brought out a stack of cards from different people in the firm. Some - Harvey could tell by the handwriting - were even from clients. "Keep me updated," she told him with a comforting smile. He nodded and she was gone.

"Awesome!" Nick grabbed the cards in interested, before having them yanked out of his hands by Louis.

"They aren't for _you_," Louis sniped, putting them back on the bedside table.

"Well he's not conscious enough to open them!" Nick argued, pointing over to the sleeping boy. "And besides, he'll feel a lot better when he wakes up and sees cards everywhere."

"I'm sure he'd prefer to open them himself," Louis retorted, glaring at Nick.

"Nick, leave the cards alone, Louis - thanks but shut up," Harvey said, his gaze not moving from Mike as he gentle stroked the boy's hair off his face. Everyone was quiet for about 5 minutes before Nick (of course) broke it.

"I'm bored."

"Go home then."

"Shut up, Louis, why are you even here?"

There was no answer, and Harvey looked up from his vigil to see Louis shifting uncomfortably.

"Whatever, man," Nick became quickly bored of not getting an answer. "Harv, when should I get that ice cream?"

"Not today," Harvey replied. "Apparently he won't be able to eat today. But get some tomorrow."

"Cool," Nick replied, grabbing his phone to either make a reminder to himself or just because he wanted something to do. "What kind?"

"Anything smooth - not chocolate chips," Harvey told him.

"But they're the kid's favourite!" Nick pouted. "Fine. What's his second favourite?"

"Strawberry," Harvey replied straight away.

"Not chocolate?" Nick asked, sounding disappointed.

"Get both," Harvey shrugged.

"Neapolitan?"

"Go for it."

* * *

><p>After about 50 minutes - most of which time Harvey spent either staring into the distance, at Mike's face or rolling his eyes at how annoyed Louis was getting with the sounds from the 'Angry Birds' game Nick was playing - Mike woke up.<p>

His eyelids fluttered slightly and after a while he opened his eyes properly, staring around groggily. "Da...dee?"

"Right here, kiddo," Harvey squeezed his hands. "See? Didn't I tell you I wouldn't leave?" Mike gave a small nod. "How do you feel?" Harvey asked in a softer tone than any of the other adults in the room had ever heard.

"Doesn't hurt as much," he croaked, wincing.

"Let's get some ice chips down you," Harvey said, grabbing the cup that had been left in a small refrigerator in the room. He took one out and put it to Mike's lips. "Slowly," he warned, when Mike attempted to gulp it down whole. "Just let it melt."

After a few ice chips and some sips of water, Mike put his thumb in his mouth. Harvey took it out gently. "You'll end up swallowing and that'll hurt," he said. Mike looked up at him pathetically so Harvey sighed, getting onto the bed with Mike and shifting him. The little boy leant against Harvey's side and the older man started up his stroking of Mike's hair, whilst he held the hand that had been in his mouth.

"That's adorable," Donna cooed.

"Take a picture and you're working with Louis for a month," Harvey warned her, making H.B. ever so slightly dance over to Mike's side, tickling his nose with the bear's fur before pulling it back, letting it rest in Mike's arms.

"What's wrong with that?" Louis asked, bristling.

"Nothing," Donna said sweetly.

"She just doesn't want to have to cover herself up in such sunny weather," Nick explained, putting his phone in his pocket. "I know how much you like to _look_..." He gave a smirk.

"I don't need you defending my honour," Donna told him.

"What do you mean? I never 'look'!" Louis told him, outraged.

"Shut up," Harvey growled. "Mikey, how do you feel?" Mike shrugged then shuffled, before giving a small whimper. "What's wrong, monkey?" Harvey asked in concern. Mike flushed a deep red and Harvey sighed. "Will you all leave for a moment?"

"What? It was your brother who started it!" Louis argued.

"It's not about that," Harvey rolled his eyes. "Can I have a moment, please?"

Donna sighed but grabbed both Louis and Nick and they went outside. "Is he okay?" She quickly asked on her way out. Harvey nodded, which seemed good enough for her.

As soon as the door closed, Harvey got off the bed. "I'm sorry," he croaked. "I didn't know I needed to go!"

"It's fine, you've just been asleep for a while and you're still sleepy," Harvey soothed, moving the thin duvet off the bed and gently moving the small boy away from the damp patch on the bed. He pressed the call button and soon there was a flurry of activity in the room as the bedding was changed and Harvey was allowed to give his son a quick wash before settling him back into bed.

"Sorry," he whispered, his eyes drooping.

"Don't worry about it, kiddo," Harvey replied, rubbing at his shoulder. "Go to sleep."

Mike gave a small whine. "Don't want to."

"Tough," Harvey said. "You have to."

"Story?"

"You want me to read you something?" Harvey asked, going into the small bag that had some of Mike's books in.

"Nu-uh," Mike shook his head. "Tell me a story. Please? Like you have before?"

Sometimes, he would get Harvey to acquiesce to his begging for a story to be told to him. Apparently, his puppy-dog eyes worked wonders in this scenario.

Harvey sighed but settled himself into his chair. "Once upon a time, there was a puppy. It was called - "

"Mike?" The boy in question asked.

"You'll find out if you don't interrupt," Mike closed his mouth obediently. "It was called Mike. The puppy liked to constantly bark at a bigger dog. It annoyed the big dog, but he had to put up with it because the puppy wouldn't stop following him. Then one day, the puppy got even smaller and the big dog _had _to look after it, because it was already small - but being smaller it was at an even bigger risk of getting into trouble."

"What happened?" Mike's voice was getting quieter as he got closer to sleep.

"They did lots of things together. They played in the park, and went to the zoo to see the animals, and at night the puppy kept climbing into the big dog's basket."

"What did the big dog do?" Mike asked, his voice slurring.

"The big dog just put his paw over the puppy and pulled him closer to keep him warm. Then one day the puppy thought there were monsters in the kennel. So the big dog went to check, but he couldn't find any. The puppy thought he could smell them, but really - he could just smell the raggedy cat that was outside the kennel. It was called Louis. So the big dog scared it away, and he and the puppy went back to sleep. The end."

It was the most basic of basic stories. Usually if Mike was fairly awake then Harvey's stories would turn into sprawling epics that would make his voice croak when he was finished but Mike would be satisfied and fall asleep dreaming about dinosaurs, dragons, spies, pirates, astronauts and superheroes. But Mike was tired and wouldn't be able to wrap his head around anything even slightly complex.

He was asleep now, though, and no doubt dreaming about curling up in a warm, comfortable place with a 'big dog' who scared all the monsters away.

* * *

><p>When Mike was cleared for eating, Harvey swore the kid got down 2 cartons of ice cream a day. He knew that Mike liked the stuff, and was glad it eased his throat, but the amount that he went through can't have been healthy. The only reason Harvey let him continue eating it was because it soothed his throat - which had begun to hurt even more now that the anaesthetic had left his system and they were only giving him things like paracetamol a tylenol when it was deemed necessary.<p>

They had been allowed to leave the hospital a day after the operation, and Harvey had been warned that in about a week the pain would be at it's worst. He made sure to schedule a complete day off for him on that day and also asked Donna to look into some sort of ear buds so that he wouldn't be deafened.

Mike had been overjoyed to leave the hospital - even though his room had been filled to the brim with cards, balloons and presents. Vic and Kathleen came to visit the day after the operation and Mike found himself practically smothered in affection - it was mainly because Harvey had to leave to get a change of clothes and Mike had attempted to scream the place down, forgetting about his throat. Thankfully, Harvey's parents had been coming to visit anyway, and they were able to draw Mike's attention away from this with stories of Harvey's childhood and promises of yet more ice cream.

When they got back to the condo, Harvey quickly put the bag he had been shouldering on the floor, and walked to Mike's room, settling the now-sleeping little boy in his bed. He sat on the side of the bed for a few moments, just running his fingers through Mike's hair and thinking about how scared he had been throughout the whole time they had been at the hospital. He allowed himself to properly relax for what seemed like the first time in weeks.

The days that followed passed without too much incident. As Harvey had been warned, the pain peaked at around 8 days after the surgery, and he wandered around in a daze for a day or two afterwards as he was constantly getting up whenever Mike started to cough or cry. He usually just took the toddler back to his bed and that alone usually helped him drop back off to sleep. On a bad night though, he was constantly walking around the condo, bouncing Mike up and down and patting his back, trying to get him to drink something and praying his Otologist wouldn't kill him for all the extra strain on his ears.

They had another appointment with Dr. Bowden about 2 weeks after the operation; in which time Harvey thought he had gone through all of Manhattan's water supply and was considering buy all of his neighbours fruit baskets as a thank-you for not calling the police, assuming that Mike was being murdered.

"Hey, Harvey, Mike. How do you feel now?" The doctor asked, smiling as this time Mike made a much better entrance, rather than just sitting listlessly in his dad's arms and refusing to talk. This time, he toddled in, holding his bear but immediately making a beeline to the box of toys that Dr. Bowden's office contained. "I take it you feel better then?" He laughed, as Mike dived head first into the box.

"Mike," Harvey said in a warning. The little boy looked up at the doctor and gave a small smile.

"Better," Mike said. His voice was still slightly quiet and croaky but he sounded and acted much more like himself.

"How'd you like all the ice cream you were prescribed?" Dr. Bowden asked, smiling.

"It was awesome!" Mike enthused. "But Daddy made me eat other things too. He said I couldn't just eat ice cream."

"That's because your daddy is a very smart man," the doctor told him, nodding. "How's about you hop up here for a moment so I can look down that throat of yours again?"

Mike shrugged and pulled himself onto Harvey's lap, tipping his head back and opening his mouth and making an 'ahhh' sound. The doctor laughed softly and looked down it, shining a small flashlight down the back.

"Looking good," he said to them both. "The stitches fell out - and I'm assuming you know when the scabs fell out too?" He asked wryly, remembering the panicked phone call he had from Harvey when Mike's pain was at it's worst and he needed to be reassured that the kid wasn't dying and that it was completely normal. "You're healing up very nicely, Mike," Dr. Bowden told him. "Do you have any questions?"

"Do I have to stop eating ice cream?" Mike asked, looking genuinely concerned.

"You don't need to eat so much," Harvey told him, rubbing at his head gently.

"Oh," Mike pouted for a second. "Okay."

Harvey shook his head. "Thanks for everything, Dr. Bowden."

"It was my pleasure, Harvey," the doctor smiled at him. "Feel free not to come back so quickly."

Harvey laughed and shook his hand.

* * *

><p>3 weeks later they were back because Mike - under Nick's watch once more - thought that it would be a good idea to sample what was in his Uncle's glass late at night when he should have been in bed.<p>

Harvey was furious, and worried constantly whilst watching his small son stumble slightly after drinking at least a few mouthfuls of wine.

On the plus side, Nick pointed out, he got some great photos for future blackmail material.

* * *

><p><strong>Weird ending, I know, but my mind drew an odd blank XD Hopefully you enjoyed that :D Please leave awesome reviews as you have been doing oh-so consistently :D<strong>


	12. Teenage Kicks

**Hey guys :D I love you all so much - you know that right? Awesome.**

* * *

><p>"Question."<p>

"You're not getting a pet."

"Slightly smaller question."

"... Go on."

Mike grinned and sat opposite Harvey on the couch, reading some of the files he had sprawled around him upside down. Harvey waved him away.

"Stop that. You know you're not allowed to read any of this stuff."

Mike pouted before grinning again. "So... there's this party - "

"No."

"At least hear me out!" Mike pleaded.

"You really think I'm going to trust _you _at a teenage party?" Harvey asked.

And dammit if that didn't hurt Mike slightly. "Hey, you have _no _reason not to trust me," Mike argued.

"Briefcase full of pot..."

"That was like, a million years ago!" Mike emphasised. "And yeah, it's a teenage party so there might be something. But then again it's a _teenage party_. Their parents will be there!"

"They will?" Harvey asked, looking slightly sceptical.

Mike nodded eagerly. "Yeah! So... can I go? Please? I promise I won't be back late, and I'll do all my chores and - "

"Whose party is it?" Harvey asked, looking back at his work. At the hesitant pause, he looked back up to see that Mike was biting his lip. "Mike. Whose party?" Mike muttered something whilst looking down. "Sorry? I didn't catch that," Harvey said, growing more suspicious.

"Ryan's," Mike quickly rushed. "It's Ryan's party." He didn't dare look at Harvey's face, knowing what the man would be thinking. Harvey liked all of Mike's friends - he had never met them all personally, but they all went to the same group at NYU that he did. However, Mike had met Ryan _through _one of these friends. And Harvey _really _didn't like him.

He didn't mean to sound like a snob but the kid wasn't from the same background at all. Fair enough, he was from the same background as _before_-Mike, and if that made the kid slightly more comfortable, then great. But Ryan was from a dodgy neighbourhood - and where he and Mike lived... it felt like light years away. Then there's the fact that Ryan reminded Harvey too much of Trevor - and wasn't _that _something he would never get over.

He had once come back from work to be met with a slightly nervous Nick saying some guy called Trevor kept banging on the door and demanding to be let in.

That night Harvey had made security stay on standby in the building and held a sleeping 3 year old to his chest; not sleeping himself for the entire night.

"Where will it be?"

"Ryan's house."

"Yeah, I don't think so."

"Dad, you're being a snob again," Mike reminded him. "It's not that bad an area."

"Mike, last week alone I heard that three people were _stabbed_."

"No - one person was stabbed and he stabbed the other two in self-defence!"

"Right, of course. Because it's so much better when both outsider muggers _and _residents carry knives around."

"You're missing the point!" Mike told him, frustrated.

Harvey put aside his papers with some force and turned. "No, _you're _missing the point, Mike. You really think you'll be okay going to this party on the other side of town, in a neighbourhood that's probably _below _the poverty line? I'm not taking you there, I'm not picking you up and you're sure as hell not walking around at night in that area."

"But everyone else is going!" Mike protested.

"And if everyone jumped off a bridge..."

"It's not the same thing!"

"There's still a risk of death in this scenario," Harvey told him, meeting his eyes. "Sorry, kid. But you're not going to this party. If it was anyone else - "

"Yeah, cause I have _so _many other friends," Mike spat, before rising from his seat and leaving the room. "Thanks. Thanks a bunch. Thanks for ruining my life."

Ouch. Okay, those words cut Harvey deeper than he would have liked.

He knew Mike didn't have _that _many friends - he didn't know how to help the kid; but Mike usually seemed perfectly happy with a small circle of two or three people, and he had his family too. But apparently some days it got to him. Harvey didn't know what he could do; he thought sometimes that the older Mike got, the more he longed for his independence, knowing it was just a breath away, and sometimes that was when Harvey wanted to cling onto him with both hands and not let go.

He sighed and looked back at his work before scoffing slightly. A party.

Mike was only 16.

He knew that most of his friends never caused any trouble; they were more inclined to sit inside and read rather than go to parties or drink under age.

He didn't have any proof there would be alcohol at this party, but he wasn't stupid. He knew there would be. And this Ryan... Harvey didn't even know if the kid _had _parents. He heard Mike's door open again and forced himself not to turn around as he heard Mike softly walk into the kitchen, no doubt getting a drink.

"Night," Mike grumbled at him, before going back inside his room and closing the door.

Oh for the days when bedtime was drinking some warm milk, and not going to sleep until he got a story and was tucked in by his daddy.

Now Harvey was lucky if he was even informed that Mike was going to bed.

Whilst it had been a while, Harvey could still remember how he had felt when Mike had originally turned normal once more. He had been having trouble letting go; feelings which hadn't been helped by the lingering side-effects as Mike tried to adjust. At least he'd been somewhat prepared for the teenage years when Mike first returned to normalcy; he'd had raised levels of hormones in his system and so his emotions had been all over the place. But he'd also been retaining some of the needs and thoughts of the toddler side; so yeah, he would act out like a teenager but at the end of the day... all he wanted was a hug.

Now, however... Harvey had no idea what Mike wanted. Apart from the obvious; a pet, his own car (like he'd be comfortable letting Mike drive anywhere) and, of course, this party.

Maybe he was just overreacting. A party wouldn't be this big a deal, surely? Had he really become this dull? He liked to think he was quite an easy-going dad. Well... the last time he had mentioned that, the surrounding people who knew him had laughed.

But surely, he wasn't that bad a dad? He just had rules that should be stuck to. And he knew what went on at teen parties.

Or did he? Yes, this Ryan kid wasn't the greatest influence, but he should trust Mike.

Mike hadn't done anything in the past 13 years to lose his trust - apart from sneaking to Harvard when he was 12 - and he was very sensible. He knew what kind of rules Harvey set and would know not to break them.

Maybe letting the kid have a bit of responsibility and freedom would be good?

He needed a second opinion. Grabbing his phone, he retreated to his room - the words little pitchers and big ears revolving around his mind. Sure, Mike was no longer considered a little pitcher, but he seemed a master when it came to eavesdropping.

_"This had better be good, Harvey," _Donna growled when she picked up the phone.

Harvey looked down at his watch. It wasn't too late. "Sorry, am I interrupting something?"

_"Nothing I can't pause," _she told him. _"Although you are giving me less time with Richard Gere. I swear, 'Pretty Woman' never gets old. Now what's so important that you need to call me during chick flick and chocolate night while the other half is cowering in his lair?__"_

Harvey couldn't help but snigger. Donna hadn't informed him - it was the way she had snarled at everyone that day - but it was clearly _that _time of the month. And usually her boyfriend Jeremy was more than likely either in his study - he was an architect - or having an early night so he wouldn't have to tip toe around her.

Harvey genuinely liked Jeremy. He was a lot better than other boyfriends of Donna's - he was wittier, smarter, friendlier - and he definitely had Donna's best interests at heart. It helped, as well, that he was completely besotted with her - as she was him. If she asked him, he would probably try to lasso the moon for her. They had been living together for nearly two years now, and been together for just over four. Harvey knew that - whilst Donna was by no means a traditionalist - she was getting quite antsy. Sometimes Harvey thought about dragging Jeremy out to a jewellers. He knew couples obviously didn't need to get married, but he also knew that Donna deserved the wedding she had no doubt dreamed about since she was a little girl.

_"Harvey?" _She interrupted his thoughts. _"What did you call for?"_

"Mike wants to go to a party at Ryan's house, and I know there'll be alcohol and drugs, it's a teenage party, and I know I should let him go and have independence but I don't know what could happen and I'm worried something will happen if I send him but if I don't let him go he'll probably hate me," Harvey said in a rush.

Donna was silent for a second. Before: "Do_ you trust him?"_

"What?"

_"Do you trust him? I mean; has he ever given you reason not to?" _She asked fairly.

Harvey thought. "Well... no. I mean... I do trust him. It's just - the other kids at this party..."

_"He's not asking you to trust his friends, Harvey,"_ Donna told him wisely. _"He's asking you to trust _him. _You should let him have some independence. Show him you're willing to let him loose occasionally. If not, he'll just try and pull away."_

Harvey nodded at these words, even though Donna couldn't see him. "You're right."

_"I always am," _she agreed.

"Thanks, Donna," he told her, meaning it. "I'm sorry I interrupted your film."

_"Harvey, I've been fielding your calls regarding your lack of confidence in your parenting for the past 16 years," _she told him. _"I'm used to it." _Harvey smiled again and they said goodnight. Whenever they discussed however long Harvey had been a parent, they always used the amount of years in Mike's age. Otherwise it just got tedious, subtracting three years off Mike's age. And in some way, it made Harvey feel more like Mike's dad, rather than just some man who had to become a father overnight.

He stood up and made up his mind. Donna was right. How was he ever going to let Mike explore his freedom and responsibility if he never gave him a chance? He could think of this as a practice run. He checked his watch. 10pm. There would be no way that Mike was in bed.

It wasn't even the difference in weekdays and weekends. They made no difference to Mike - school wasn't part of his world. He'd gotten his bachelor's from NYU and was now waiting until 18 to go to Harvard and get his J.D. He had gotten a full score (of course) on the LSATs and was only waiting more for Harvey's benefit than anything. He knew his dad was trying to forget that at some point he would have to let him fly the nest, and decided that at 18, any other child would be leaving home for college. It was the right time.

Harvey knocked on the door and waited for acknowledgement. He didn't receive any, but knew that if Mike was doing something he didn't want Harvey to witness, he would hear a hurried 'go away!' Harvey opened the door and walked in. Mike was sitting on his bed, with just a lamp on, as he read a comic.

The sight almost made Harvey laugh - the kid with more on his résumé than most adults was sitting, chewing his thumb and reading a comic book.

Harvey sat down on the end of the bed and waited for a minute. Mike; uncomfortable with the silence, soon broke it.

"What?"

"I've been thinking," Harvey told him. "About this party..."

"Yeah?" Mike's head shot up, his wide eyes staring at Harvey.

"I know I keep saying how you need to be responsible; but I've never even given you the chance to prove to me that you can be responsible. So I'm going to let you go to this party," he paused as Mike yelled out 'yes!' and fist-pumped the air, "_but_," he stressed, making Mike stop. "I want you to promise me something."

"Anything."

"You have to promise me you'll be careful. I'm not just being a boring old man when I say I know what goes on at teen parties. I know there'll be alcohol. There might even be drugs," he looked at Mike sharply. "You already know my feelings on both substances - I'm not trying to be a killjoy, Mike," he said. "But you have to promise me you'll be responsible. I'm trying to give you more independence, but you have to prove to me that my trust isn't misplaced."

"I promise," Mike said earnestly. "I know you worry," he snorted at Harvey's raised eyebrow. "Don't deny it," he teased, before becoming serious. "I promise I won't do anything that'll break your trust. And I won't even be back late - latest I'll be will be midnight."

"I'm going to write this down," Harvey warned him.

Mike rolled his eyes. "You know your dad's a lawyer when he has to write out a _contract _of terms and conditions before he lets you leave the house." He grinned when Harvey swiped at his head and stood up off the bed.

"When is this party?"

"Saturday," Mike replied. Harvey nodded. Two days. He had time to draft the contract Mike thought he had been joking about. He looked around the room, picking up a few dirty clothes and throwing them in the laundry basket before sorting out the duvet._  
><em>

"Dad!" Harvey smirked, shaking his head. He was officially too much of a parent. The bedding was just... off. And crumpled. It wasn't like he was trying to tuck the kid in.

"See you tomorrow, kiddo," Harvey said, ruffling his hair on the way out.

"Night, Dad," Mike replied, sliding down in his bed with the comic book, looking a lot more cheerful than he had been when Harvey had first walked in.

"Night, Monkey."

"Dad!" The whine was very familiar, and Harvey delighted in drawing it out of his son in embarrassing situations. He closed the door and went to bed himself, hoping he had made the right call.

* * *

><p>"No, I really don't need you to come in with me," Mike insisted as Harvey pulled up outside the house.<p>

"Humour me."

"Seriously," Mike unbuckled his seat belt. "Please - I... you said you trusted me; wanting to speak to Ryan's parents _isn't _trusting me." He stared at Harvey with imploring eyes. The older man eventually huffed and backed down.

"Fine - don't think I don't hold that contract as real," Harvey warned him.

Mike rolled his eyes. "I know, you made me read through each clause, remember? I promise to be back before or on midnight; and I promise I'll get a taxi straight back. Happy?"

"Not really. But I'll live," Harvey replied. "Okay; go on, I'll see you later."

Mike smiled. "Bye, Dad. Try not to worry too much!"

Harvey gave him a small smile and watched as Mike got out of the car, waiting until the door opened and Mike was invited in before he drove off. He wasn't sure, but he thought that the silhouette _could_ be a parent. He sighed.

He had to give Mike _some _room. He knew he wouldn't sleep before Mike got back, and decided he should just go to the firm (Pearson, Hardman & Specter, thank you very much) and grab some work to do so he wouldn't be sat twiddling his thumbs, worrying.

Not that he worried.

Not at all.

* * *

><p>"Hey, man!" Ryan offered up a high five to Mike, who instantly responded and hit the other teen's palm. "So?"<p>

"What?" Mike asked, as they made their way to the main living room, where there were other people who were just sat chatting.

"So you told me you couldn't come! And then the whole, over-dramatic, 'I can now, I'll tell you later!'?" Ryan raised an eyebrow, offering Mike a cup. He took it and looked down. It looked just like coke, and he had a quick sip before relaxing. Just coke.

"My dad was worried," he said, giving a small smile to show how stupid he thought that was. "I mean - he worries all the time so it wasn't a big deal. He just didn't think I would be 'responsible' at a 'teen party'," Mike said, sipping his drink.

Ryan laughed. "At least _your_ dad worries," he replied (slightly sourly, in Mike's opinion). "And what does he think we're going to do? Start a revolution?"

"I think he's expecting some kind of twisted 'Lord Of The Flies' to go down," Mike chuckled. The blank look on the other teen's face made him panic somewhat and he retracted. "He's worried about all the peer pressure and, y'know - sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll," he laughed easily.

Ryan snorted at Mike's words. "Hey, I'm sure all three could happen tonight if you play your cards right," he wiggled his eyebrows in an 'if you know what I mean' gesture. Mike gave a smile as Ryan pushed him to join in with the others who were just talking. He really hoped the other boy was joking. It wasn't as if he hadn't been down this road before; but Harvey had been _very _specific - he had drawn up a whole contract for crying out loud!

"Hey, guys - most of you know Mike, right?" Ryan announced to the room at large. Mike grinned and shared a few fist bumps with people he knew from his classes at NYU.

"Yeah, genius boy, right?" A girl he didn't know clarified. "One with the rich daddy?"

Mike shuffled awkwardly. "I wouldn't say 'genius'..." he said nervously.

"Leave him alone, Gina," Ryan said good-naturedly. "Just cause you flunked math and he probably could've passed it when he was three..."

"Shut up, Ryan," Gina rolled her eyes. "He's not _that _smart. What did you say? He just has a good memory?"

"The best," Ryan said, and Mike felt very much like a show-dog at that moment. "Write down a bunch of numbers or something and ask him to recite it back to you."

"Hey, I'm not a performing monkey!" Mike protested, glad when that brought laughs rather than looks of disdain or someone saying, 'dude, lame'.

"Well maybe later," Ryan said, grabbing a spot on a couch, leaving Mike to take an armchair. Mike found himself happy to just sit with them and occasionally chip into the conversation, sipping from his drink. He didn't know what Harvey had been worrying about. It was just a group of kids having a good time. Fair enough, Ryan's mother was out, but that didn't mean they all needed to just get really drunk and high. Mike was glad he had friends who didn't mind just sitting and talking or enjoying each other's company.

"As fun as this is, Ryan," Gina, the girl who had gotten in a few digs at Mike since they met, said. "When can I open my beer?"

Shit.

"Sorry, I forgot," Ryan laughed. "I got some vodka from my mom's cabinet as well; Mike, what do you want?"

"Uh..." Mike knew - it had been a while but he couldn't forget things - what kind of alcohol he liked and he would have been fine with a beer. But it was just... he really didn't want to betray his dad's trust in him. It was eating up at him now even thinking about drinking.

"Leave him to his cola, his daddy probably doesn't want him to throw up in the porsche," Gina said, rolling her eyes. "Bet he's forbidden him to drink as well. Or is it only champagne you can have, sir?" She asked, doing a waiter impression and getting giggles off people. "I'm afraid we can't offer you anything high society has to offer you, unfortunately," she looked up from her bowing and scraping, a jacket over one arm to look like a waiter. Her poisonous smirk is what made Mike change his mind.

"I'll have a beer."

"Ooh, aren't we very manly and down to earth?" She tittered.

"To be fair, Mike, I'd've thought you'd have gone for vodka and coke or something," Ryan said.

Mike shrugged. "I like beer."

And it _was_ only one drink. Everyone looked as though they didn't believe him, but soon shut up after he had a few swigs and appeared to actually _enjoy _the taste (quite a few others were trying to hide their grimaces as they sipped).

He settled into a rhythm of sipping and pretend-gulping. He went to get another beer whenever someone else got a second drink, but just clutched his first one, pretending to get more tipsy as the night went on. And no one suspected anything.

It got to about half past 11 and he was wondering what kind of excuse would swing for leaving to be back home before midnight, when Ryan appeared out of nowhere with a sly grin on his face. "Okay, people - I got cut a good deal on this; it's good stuff, so don't flake out on me."

Mike groaned - a noise which was lost in the room as other people laughed or cheered - and watched as Ryan, with the help of Gina and some other kids who were either from this neighbourhood or went to the same school, started rolling joints.

"Mike, how much you want?"

"What?"

"Pot, buddy. You want a joint?"

"Uh... I'm not really much of a smoker..."

"Bong?"

"Maybe... maybe later," he smiled, hoping he sounded like he genuinely would try some later on. Ryan shrugged and soon the room was covered in a hazy fog of weed. Mike bit his lip. He knew it had been _years _but the smell was starting to make him crave some. Really badly. If someone asked him exactly then, he would have smoked without a moment's hesitation.

He couldn't. He'd already broken one rule; albeit only having one beer, but he couldn't break another.

One that had been ingrained in his subconscious since working with Harvey.

"Uh, guys I'm going to head off."

"What?" Ryan suddenly appeared through the drug haze. "Aw, c'mon, Mike - the night's still young! And you don't even have the excuse of school in the morning, genius!" He ruffled Mike's hair, who leant back slightly from the touch.

"I know, but - my dad, y'know? I'll be grounded for life if I go home late. I'm lucky he let me come at all," Mike said, realising he sounded like he was begging but unable to help it.

Ryan sighed in disappointment but nodded. "Okay. See you later, man."

"Bye," Mike gave him a smile and got out the house, knowing how much he smelt of weed.

His dad would kill him.

* * *

><p>Harvey wasn't worrying.<p>

He didn't worry when it got to half past 11 and Mike wasn't back, and he also didn't worry when it got to 12 and he wasn't back. He wouldn't be long - the contract Harvey drew out had stated that Mike had to be back by 12 at the latest. He wouldn't be surprised if the kid was leaving the party now. Or maybe the taxi was just stuck in traffic.

Just as he was going through various scenarios in his head, he heard the sound of keys at the front door and forced himself not to jump up as soon as the door opened.

"Hey, Dad, it was a good night, I'm going to have a shower before going to bed," Mike garbled, hurrying to the bathroom.

"Woah, slow down," Harvey now quickly twisted round before standing up. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just tired. I just want a shower," Mike said, nerves building in his stomach. "I'll be out in a sec and tell you anything you want to know..."

"Mike," Harvey's voice suddenly hardened. Mike closed his eyes as the older man came close, and breathed in the air slightly. "You've been smoking pot," he said, and the disappointed, angry tone was more than Mike could bare.

"I swear I didn't!" Mike said instantly. "Everyone else was, I was in the same room, it stuck to my clothes! I swear I didn't smoke!"

Harvey looked at him, clearly not believing him. "So a room full of pot - which you assured me wouldn't be there - and you didn't have _one _drag?" Harvey got in a bit closer and inhaled more. "You drank as well?"

"Personal space!" Mike squawked, stumbling back slightly.

Harvey's eyebrow raised. "So... paranoia, is it? That does tend to come at some point..."

"I didn't smoke pot!"

"Did you drink?"

"No!" Mike knew he should've told the truth; but at that moment he didn't think he could bare any more disappointment.

"You're lying," Harvey turned away, as if he couldn't bare to look at Mike. "Go to your room."

Mike flinched. "But I need to shower - "

"You can do that in the morning. Go to your room. _Now_," he said icily, turning back and fixing Mike with a glare.

"Dad, I - "

"Room. Now. Don't make me repeat myself for a fourth time," Harvey growled. Mike felt his lip wobble unfairly but slunk to his room, going inside and closing the door slowly. He closed his eyes and breathed out, hearing a small sob come out with it.

He was 16. He shouldn't cry just because his dad was disappointed in him.

But he couldn't help it.

The unfairness of it all was overwhelming him; he wasn't even allowed a moment to explain himself! Instead he was banished to his room like a little kid. He shuddered and sat on his bed, looking down at his hands, before sniffing and rubbing one of them over his face.

And he'd _disappointed _Harvey. Never, in his 16 years (he too, referred to his age rather than how long he'd been a Specter) had he ever done anything to cause that frown to appear on the older man's face. That tone of voice...

He sniffled and rubbed a hand through his hair, before reaching under the bed and pulling out an old toy.

* * *

><p>Harvey wanted to punch a wall.<p>

Really.

He couldn't believe that Mike would do that. He couldn't believe that after everything Harvey had said - both before Mike changed and before tonight - regarding drugs. Mike _knew _his thoughts on them. And to completely disregard all of that; to smoke pot and drink beer like he hadn't been told anything. Harvey had let him go to this party because he thought it would prove him wrong and show that Mike could be responsible.

He wished he _had _been proved wrong.

He grabbed a tumbler of scotch and poured himself two fingers, listening for a moment outside Mike's room. When he heard a few sniffles his first reaction was to go in there and make it all better. It didn't matter that his son was now 16 - he firmly believed that Mike was still overly-affectionate; a hug would do him wonders.

And yet he then remembered what had happened and knew that Mike had every right to be sniffling; he deserved to be upset.

With a growl Harvey went back to his paperwork, before realising that he wouldn't get anything else done tonight. He wished he could call Donna. Donna who knew everything and knew exactly what to do at any time and would easily have this situation fixed in about a half hour.

And yet it was twenty minutes past midnight. He didn't think she'd look upon him too kindly after he woke her up with his problems. Sure he was angry and desperate but he definitely wasn't suicidal. He could always call her tomorrow.

After about an hour he decided to call it a night. He instinctively went to Mike's door. It wasn't that he was overprotective, or couldn't let his little boy go... Well, maybe it was a bit - but he liked saying goodnight to his son. It calmed his mind just that little bit more it needed before he could sleep for the night. The door was already halfway open when he realised how angry he was - it didn't stop him looking in, however.

It still stank of pot, although Harvey knew that would go soon - it was mostly sticking to Mike's clothes. The teen was curled up on the bed, still in his clothes, clutching onto an old teddy that neither of them really had the heart or any desire to throw out.

"Hey, H.B," Harvey said softly, slipping in to take Mike's shoes off and pull the duvet over him. "Still doing your job, I hope?" In response, the bear was clutched slightly tighter as Mike gave a small sigh (Harvey could smell the beer on his breath but tried not to get too angry; not while his son looked so innocent) and Harvey ran a hand through his hair softly before giving the bear's ear a gentle tug. "As you were."

He wished he could sort everything now with just a hug and a teddy bear.

* * *

><p>Harvey woke up to the sounds of the shower going. He realised that Mike must be trying to get rid of the pot smell, and instantly the anger he felt from last night had overtaken him once more. He got up and pulled some clothes on, going to make coffee before pacing angrily up and down the kitchen.<p>

When the shower finally turned off, Mike appeared; wearing clothes but with dripping wet hair. Mike saw him and instantly his defences went up - Harvey could practically see a wall start to build for protection and Mike straightened slightly, trying to look defiant as he walked to his room.

"Mike," Harvey tried not to sound too harsh; he needed the kid to listen to him first.

Mike stopped and turned. "Yeah?" He was one heartbeat away from bolting, and Harvey tried to sound calm.

"Come sit down."

Mike swallowed and kept rubbing at his hair with a towel for lack of anything else to do. He slowly sank onto a chair at the kitchen table and tried to raise his eyes to meet Harvey's. The older man sat opposite him, sipping coffee for a second and well and truly keeping him in suspense. Finally, he put his cup down and surveyed Mike.

"You got the smell away then?" Harvey asked. Mike seemed to flinch slightly but nodded, deciding to stare down at the table instead. "I'm going to ask some questions," Harvey said in a calm voice that was impossible to read. "And all I want is a yes or a no. Got it?" Mike nodded, refusing to meet his eyes. "Okay. Do you have any of that stuff on you?" A shake of his head. "Did you buy any of it?" Another shake. "Was it Ryan?" A small, timid nod. "Did he pressure you into smoking?"

"Technically, but I - "

"Yes or no, questions," Harvey reminded him. Mike opened his mouth to argue but immediately shut it at the look he was given. Instead, he seemed to hesitate for a while before nodding reluctantly. Because technically Ryan _had _pressured him - he'd just refused.

"Now explain to me how a boy as smart as you would get involved in this," Harvey said, leaning back in his chair. "I know you did the first time but I'd have thought that everything I said might've made an impact. And I thought that maybe you thought as much of me as I clearly thought of you and would take this seriously."

"The contract - " Mike began, before being cut off.

"This isn't about the _contract _any more, Mike!" Harvey said loudly. "This is about you disobeying me! Not only do you smoke and drink after I tell you not to, you _lie _about it afterwards when I can smell it!"

"I _didn't_!" Mike yelled, standing up. "You're not listening, you _never _listen! I didn't smoke any pot - other people were and that's why the smell stuck! Yeah, okay - I drank, but only one can and - "

"You told me you didn't drink last night," Harvey said in a hard tone. "And now you're telling me you did. So what am I supposed to believe?"

"_ME!_" Mike suddenly cried out, grabbing some shoes by the door and stuffing them on his feet. "You should believe _me_! I'm sorry I lied last night but I didn't want to get into more trouble than I already was! But I didn't smoke any pot! I thought you could read people!" He rubbed at his face and stood up.

"Where are you - "

"Doesn't matter - you clearly don't care where I'm going; you'll only think I'm lying," Mike spat before quickly leaving, slamming the door behind him.

"Mike!" Harvey wrenched the door open but Mike must have decided to run and so was nowhere to be seen. He scrubbed a hand over his face and copied Mike's action, slamming the door and going over to the couch, sitting down and groaning slightly into his hands.

_Had_ he been telling the truth? Harvey had been so angry at the smell of weed and beer that he hadn't even bothered to check Mike's face properly. And Mike had been adamant that he hadn't smoked anything. And he was sure if he actually _had _smoked then he would have tried to apologise and beg to be allowed to explain. Harvey found his phone and tried to call Mike, not very surprised when he got no response. He paced for a second before calling Donna.

_"You have to stop calling me on our days off," _she told him.

"Mike ran away," Harvey said quickly.

He heard a sigh. _"Again? What on Earth have you been doing to that kid?" _

"Donna, I accused him of smoking pot at this party and now I think I was wrong."

_"Harvey Specter, admitting he was wrong? Jeremy, open up those cubans." _Harvey heard Jeremy huff a laugh at the other end and growled.

"Donna this is important, okay? I really screwed up on this. Will you just... just call me if he comes to see you?"

There was silence for a moment before: _"I will. Do you want us to go out and try to find him?"_

"No, I'm going out now. Just... if does come, just keep him there?"

_"We will. Now go find your son."_

Harvey hung up and pulled some shoes on, grabbing his car keys and leaving. He left the door unlocked in case Mike came back; he hadn't seen him pick up a key when he left. He didn't even know if the kid had his phone; he tried calling again anyway, and yet again it wasn't picked up.

* * *

><p>Mike shuffled awkwardly for a second before taking a breath and trying to rub any lasting moisture from his eyes and knocked on the door. There was a sudden thump and an exclaimed curse before there was a bit of shuffling and finally, the door was opened.<p>

"Mike?" Nick frowned, looking confused. "What are you doing here?"

"Can I... Can I come in?" Mike asked, trying not to sound as pathetic as he ended up doing.

"Yeah, of course," Nick backed away and let Mike come in, before shutting the door and turning to look at him. "Are you okay?"

Mike nodded, pretending to be looking at the various photographs on the walls. "Is this one new?" He asked, painfully trying to sound normal.

Nick shot him a concerned glance but nodded, walking over to the picture Mike was looking at. "Yeah, it's this little side street I didn't know existed. That woman," he pointed to the woman in question; vibrant in a red jacket when all around her was black and white, "was placing flowers by a doorway for something. I liked the emotion of it."

"Why put it in black and white?" Mike asked, wishing he knew who she had been mourning.

Nick shrugged. "It was already miserable; sometimes black and white - rather than making it _more_ miserable - actually makes it better. And I think only one splash of colour made it a lot more meaningful rather than some depressing scene. But enough about my amazing work," he spun Mike slightly by the shoulder to face him. "Why are you here? Where's Harvey?"

Mike shrugged. "Probably trying to get emancipation files sorted so he doesn't have to deal with me any more."

Nick sighed and kept a hand on his shoulder and led him over to what constituted for a living room in his apartment. "Sit here a while; tell me what happened."

"What are you doing?" Mike asked, sitting down on what had always been his favourite arm chair - one shaped like Pacman. He watched as Nick grabbed a camera which had been set aside on the floor.

"What I was trying to do when you knocked," Nick explained, as Mike bit his lip as he remembered the thump he had heard as he knocked. He watched for a while as Nick lay on his back and angled his camera upwards and out of the large window - not unlike the one in Harvey's condo. Well used to his Uncle taking random snaps when he was _supposed _to be paying attention to him, Mike started explaining everything.

He even talked about smoking pot _before__, _and how he felt about it, and what Harvey had said and how he felt so _betrayed _because he wasn't being believed. Nick was silent throughout all of this; finally standing from his place and going to sit cross-legged on his Cadillac couch - which was affectionately dubbed by all Specters as the 'Callic-cow' after Mike had tried and failed to say the proper name when he was small, and that had been the result.

Mike had always preferred Nick's furniture to their own; it all looked cool and served no other purpose than to be fairly comfortable and to look awesome. His couch looked like the back of a Cadillac and he slept in a water bed. The bohemian style loft that he lived in still somehow managed to look homely, even whilst looking like a catalogue of 'cool furniture' searches on Google images. There were pictures everywhere - mostly taken by Nick himself; there was one that Mike noticed that Harvey had framed and up on a chest of drawers in their own home - it looked like Central Park in the snow. He even spied some embarrassing pictures he himself had drawn when he was younger, put up on various walls.

Nick noticed him looking. "Back when I thought you had some semblance of artistic talent," he joked. "Hoping you'd follow in my footsteps."

"Might have to now," Mike said dourly. "Don't want to be like him anymore."

Nick knew exactly who he was referring to. "Don't be too hard on him," he said. "I mean - if he walked in from a night out and stank of pot, wouldn't you think he'd smoked?" He laughed at Mike's incredulous expression. "I know, bad example. Okay," he shuffled forward to drive home his point. "Imagine you had asked him, very seriously - made him _promise _not to do something and then you _assumed _he had - wouldn't you just pay attention to the conclusion you'd jumped to? Even if he promised he hadn't done it?"

"I... I don't know!" Mike leant forward to tug at his hair for a second. "I'd believe him!" He suddenly decided. "If he promised he hadn't, then I would believe him! It would be enough for me!"

"Okay," Nick said quickly, trying to calm him. "Okay. Here," he suddenly grabbed his camera - his very expensive, professional camera that he had never allowed anyone else to touch and put it into Mike's hands. "Go wild."

"What?"

"Take a few pictures," Nick offered. "It does wonders for stress."

"Uh... I don't really have much artistic insight or vision," Mike protested. "And you know how clumsy I can be."

"That's true," Nick mused. "Forget it," he snatched his camera back. "Wanna make a fort?"

* * *

><p>Harvey had been driving up and down roads close to their apartment for what felt like the whole day. He was getting more and more worried as time went on. Every time his phone rang he answered eagerly, only to find it was usually Donna on the other end. After a few hours though, he quickly called her.<p>

"I'm going to file a missing person's report," he told her hastily, knowing his voice was shaking.

_"Harvey, he's not missing," _she told him sternly. _"He walked out a few hours ago to cool down. If it gets really late, then you can file anything you want. Have you called round a few of his friends? Could he have gone round this Ryan's house?" _

"Ryan's the one that got him into this mess; he wouldn't go round there," Harvey said confidently.

Plus, Donna didn't need to know that Harvey had asked Vanessa for a huge favour and that she had staked out Ryan's house - there had been no sign of Mike.

"I don't know what to do, Donna," he confided in her.

_"The only thing you can do is to wait," _she told him. _"He's not a little kid. He's 16 - he can walk around New York on his own. He'll turn up at home safe and sound later, as long as you make him aware of the fact that you're not angry, you just want him home."_

"That sounds a lot like one of those ads they make parents do on TV if their children have been kidnapped," Harvey informed her.

_"Have you told him you're not angry?"_

"I left him messages on his phone," Harvey told her. "What do you think I should do?"

_"Are you feeling alright? Because you keep asking me my opinion..."_

"Donna."_  
><em>

_"Have you asked Nick if he's seen him?" _Donna asked. _"He's usually out taking pictures of things, isn't he? Maybe Mike walked by."_

It dawned on Harvey he hadn't called Nick at all; even if he hadn't been out there was always the chance that Mike had gone round to his place. "Donna, you're a genius."

_"I know."_

* * *

><p>"Mikey, you eat all that popcorn and I'll be forced to create another two-person dog-pile," Nick warned him. They had been sat on large cushions inside the sheet fort they had constructed (he swore every time they were together it ended up with some sort of fort being erected) where Nick had set up a projector that they were watching an old Batman film on. It was showing on a large wall opposite the for and they had been watching peacefully until there was a knock on the door that Nick got up to answer.<p>

He opened it and smiled at Harvey, knowing he would be round at some point. "Hey, bro. You're not looking your best," he glanced at the rumpled shirt and ruffled hair, the tinge of worry across his features and the slight lines on his forehead.

"Have you seen Mike?" He asked desperately. Nick winced. He had been slightly angry at his brother from what he had heard from Mike, but clearly Harvey had been really worried.

"Yeah, he's here," Nick said, watching as Harvey's face suddenly sagged with relief, all worry lines gone. He stepped aside and smiled, letting Harvey come in. He was surprised to be suddenly pulled into a hug. "Uh... I miss you too?" He offered. He was even more surprised when Harvey pulled back, a fond look on his face.

He was then hit on the back of the head.

"Ow!" Nick whined, rubbing the spot that had collided with Harvey's palm. "What happened to the love?"

"You couldn't spare half a minute to call me and tell me that my son had turned up here?" Harvey ranted. "You know how worried I was all day?"

"You were worried?" Mike stood a slight distance away nervously, his toes curling and occasionally rubbing at the floor.

Harvey's face softened. "Of course I was. You ran off and didn't tell me where you were going - you didn't answer any of my messages."

Mike looked at the floor. "My phone died."

Harvey nodded. "How long have you been here?"

"Uh... I don't know," Mike looked over to Nick for help.

"A few hours."

"So you came straight here," Harvey tried to determine, moving slightly closer to Mike.

"Yeah," Mike replied. "Don't worry, I didn't stop at any dealers on the way here," he said bitterly.

"Mike - " Harvey began, taking a soft hold of Mike's forearms. "I'm sorry."

Mike looked up at him. "Really?"

"Yes," Harvey nodded. "I shouldn't have leapt to conclusions. I should have trusted you."

Mike didn't need to know that Vanessa had talked to Ryan and determined that Mike hadn't, in fact, smoked anything.

"You should've," Mike told him. Harvey frowned in acknowledgement before suddenly being crashed into with a hug. He quickly put his arms around Mike and hugged him close, breathing in the smell of his hair. If Mike had been just a little bit more angry and if Nick had lived further away... he shuddered at the thought of it and clutched Mike tighter. "M'sorry," Mike whispered. "I only drank one beer, I didn't think it would matter, I'm sorry," he burbled, pushing his face into Harvey's shoulder.

"It's fine," he shushed, letting his hand rest on the top of Mike's spine, fingertips tickling the strands of hair at the base of his skull. "I'm sorry for not believing you."

They stayed this way for a while, before hearing Nick mutter: "Gay..."

They laughed and pulled apart; which was when Harvey noticed where they had been sitting. "Really, Nicky? Another one?" He looked over at the fort.

"They're fun!" Nick argued. "You wanna come watch Batman with us? Shoes off though," he said, motioning to Harvey's shoes. The older man raised an eyebrow but took them off, following the other two to their fort. After quickly calling Donna and letting her know that Mike wasn't bleeding out into a gutter somewhere, he attempted to join his brother and son. After a lot of twisting and pushing they all managed to fit inside it. Mike sat squashed in the middle between the two brothers and soon settled into a comfortable rhythm of stealing popcorn from Nick and letting his head fall on Harvey's shoulder tiredly.

"I can't believe you've suddenly instigated a no-shoe rule," Harvey sniped to Nick. "You've never really cared about your floor before."

"I still don't," Nick told him easily, reaching past Mike's frequently bobbing head to grab the popcorn bowl that had somehow been moved into Harvey's hands. "It's just the rules of the fort."

"Right," Harvey rolled his eyes, before stretching slightly. "This is why you need real furniture," he moaned. "My back is regretting the choice in chair."

"Hey, my cushions are really comfy!" Nick argued. "It's not my fault you're old."

In response, Harvey slowly reached around Mike and prodded Nick in the side, making him flinch and squirm away. Harvey glanced at Mike, who had now fallen into a light doze, his neck crooked as he had angled it to rest against Harvey's shoulder. "C'mon, Mikey," he said, softly shaking the teen. "Your neck will thank me later."

Mike grumbled but opened his eyes, rubbing at them as he crawled out of the fort before deciding that the floor was actually pretty comfy. He stayed lying down on it, his eyes closing once more. Harvey rolled his eyes but didn't say anything; he had more room now and shuffled to the side, letting his head loll back against the back of the sheets.

He then got a kick in the leg.

"Ow!"

"Your neck will thank me later," Nick repeated the words that Harvey had said to Mike. "You staying the night or what?"

"You don't have a guest room," Harvey reminded him.

"I have a fort."

"Because that's a reasonable substitute," Harvey rolled his eyes, getting out of the fort. "We're going. Mikey," he bent and shook the teen awake once more. "C'mon. We're going home."

Mike struggled to his feet and put on his shoes as Harvey did the same. Soon they were both ready to leave, Harvey's hand on Mike's shoulder; apparently unable to not have any actual bodily contact. "Bye, Uncle Nick," Mike said blearily. "Thanks."

Nick smiled at him. "My pleasure. Feel free to come round here again the next time you run away from home," he smirked at Harvey's glare. He quickly ruffled Mike's hair and said goodbye to Harvey, watching as they both walked away, laughing to himself as he heard Mike complaining semi-loudly.

"_Da-ad_! Stop calling me 'monkey'! People'll hear! It's embarrassing! And I don't need a nap either!"

Nick chuckled. Clearly some things never change.

* * *

><p><strong>AN So... I hope you guys liked that :P I'm sorry, but I can't for the life of me remember who suggested his scenario - but thank you very much to you who did ;) **

**Oh, and if you're interested in Nick's furniture:  
><strong>

**Pacman chair: http : / / www . chairdesigning . com / cool-chair-design-the-pacm-chair-by-jose-jorge-hinojosa-primo . html**

**Cadillac couch: http :/ / www . instablogsimages . com / images/2010/05/07/59-cadillac-car-sofa_9TH8v_3868 . jpg**

**As always; remove spaces :)**


	13. Mikey The Matchmaker

**A/N Hey there people :) So, this chapter has been a long time coming - Harvey's steady return back to the world of dating/one night stands. And of course, you all know it won't be that smooth a transition :P**

* * *

><p>It started out as little things at first.<p>

At first it was small mutterings – when it get to Mother's day, Mike dutifully made a card each for both of his grandmothers, but then he saw Daddy look concerned when he made a card for Donna and he would say something quietly that Mike didn't quite catch.

Then he sometimes overheard phone conversations when he was supposed to be napping – it wasn't his fault that Daddy was sometimes stressed and put him down at the wrong time and also in easy grabbing distance of various toys. From what he heard, Daddy was worried about him not having a 'definite maternal figure in his life'. He would have been more worried had he been in his normal state of mind, but at that moment in time he was far more concerned with trying to reach a toy on the top of his drawers.

(He was then found and quickly put into time-out; even though it was one in the afternoon and far too early for a nap and he wasn't even _tired _so it wasn't _his _fault he got bored.)

Sometimes he would be unceremoniously dumped at Uncle Nick's house for the afternoon before coming back home in the evening. Uncle Nick would laugh and mention Daddy 'getting back into the game' and winking, before taking Mike out to take pictures of weird people in the park.

One time, Donna raised her eyebrows at Daddy when he said that she would be having him for the night, so that Daddy could have a friend round. She had scoffed and made a huge speech – which Mike only half listened to as he was tired and his thumb seemed much more appealing – and mentioned how Daddy probably didn't even _know _this 'friend' yet and that it was 'no example to set to a four year old'.

After this, Mike managed to catch up with what everyone else seemed to know.

Daddy was trying to date again. Or… at least have one night stands again.

And he didn't like this idea much at all.

* * *

><p>Mike knew he needed to up his game. It wasn't that he was constantly in a four year old state of mind. He was just sometimes quite happy being simply looked after and in return looking after his Daddy. But when something big threatened his usual, stable, structured life, he decided to let the little kid stay inside for a while - or as long as it would take until Harvey realised that he didn't need to completely change their current living situation.<p>

Mike was very comfortable with said living situation. He didn't want to have to crawl over some woman if he needed to get into Harvey's bed. What if he slipped up around her and she somehow found out that he wasn't the little kid he appeared? What if Harvey trusted her enough to leave her in charge of him while Harvey was at work? He only didn't mind being left in the hands of Donna or Nick - and on occasion, Louis - and didn't want just some... some random woman looking after him. She'd probably be some sort of model who would only be interested in brushing her hair and using the well-stocked drinks cabinet.

Mike got it, he really did - Harvey was lonely. He had led quite a... _fulfilling _lifestyle before this, and so the change from having a one night stand nearly every other week or even _night_ to going without sex for what must be going on a year... That was a massive change for someone to go through. And Mike knew that it was part of what made Harvey, Harvey.

Still... he didn't like the idea of Harvey bringing some woman back to their house, to Harvey's bed - which Mike had curled up in plenty of times - and then Harvey would just give him to someone and bring him back when she left. Like some sort of... _baggage _that was in the way of his relationships. It was _his _home too, and he was going to try his hardest to make Harvey realise he didn't need a woman in his life - and neither did Mike.

Because he knew what some of this was. Partly because Harvey wanted female company but also because he had gotten some twisted idea that Mike needed a mother. Whether it was because he knew that sometimes Mother's Day got to him (usually only because of the thought of his still-missed, dead mother) or because he saw other kids being looked after by their mothers. Maybe it was because he didn't like being a single father. Because he wanted someone to lighten the load and help him carry the burden that was a rambunctious, genius toddler.

But he _had _other people to help. Like Nick and his parents and Louis and Jessica. And Donna. Donna who was practically his mother in every sense but genetics and law. Mike had to make Harvey see that he didn't need an actual, on paper mother.

Or maybe he just didn't like the idea of sharing Harvey.

* * *

><p>"Mike what are you doing?"<p>

Mike glanced up from where he'd been cutting pictures from magazines to make a collage.

"Making something. Why?"

"Where'd you get those scissors?" Harvey asked, quickly taking them off him, making him pout.

"They were in your drawer in your desk," Mike explained, resorting to slowly tearing various pictures out to use.

"I was out for less than_ three_ minutes," Harvey said exasperatedly. He sighed and walked away. "This is why I need someone else here when I'm not..."

"No, Daddy!" Mike jumped up and clung to him desperately. "I like it just me and you! I don't need someone else!"

"I can't just leave you on your own, even if it's just going to the shop," Harvey explained, picking him up and bouncing him on his hip. "As much as I want to trust you, I don't think you're ready to be left on your own."

"I can still be adult!" Mike tugged at him. "I wasn't doing anything wrong! I didn't cut myself or... or _impale_ myself..."

"Mike, sometimes you can be adult; and sometimes you can't be," Harvey said, rolling his eyes. "I just think you need someone else in your life to look after you when I'm not here. Some father I am," he huffed to himself. "Leaving a little kid with scissors..."

"Don't say that!" Mike tugged at him again, with much more vigour. "You're the best dad ever! I like it just being me and you!" Mike knew where Harvey was going in this conversation, and he was determined not to get given a mother he didn't need or want. Harvey rubbed his back slightly in response to his proclamation but didn't say anything more about it.

Mike hoped that was enough to get some sense into his head.

Apparently not.

* * *

><p>Mike had been sat eagerly by the door for about twenty minutes until the sound of the keys unlocking it made him jump to attention. Harvey let himself in and suddenly had Mike barrel into his legs.<p>

"Woah, easy, kiddo, easy - what are you still doing up?" Harvey ruffled his hair before looking around the condo. "Where's Louis?"

Mike frowned. "He got a call from his _girlfriend - _he's been reciting poetry to her for the last half hour." However much he was adamant that he just didn't want things to change, and was slightly jealous; and _that _was why he didn't like everyone suddenly starting romances - somewhere, deep, _deep _down - he just didn't like the idea of _girls_.

Harvey snorted. "And that's why in another few moments he will have a serious lack of girlfriend." Mike sniggered before catching a glimpse of Harvey's messed up hair. He looked closer and saw that there were lipstick marks on his rumpled collar and close to his ear lobe. And when he pulled on Harvey's pants to indicate he wanted lifting up, he saw that the zip wasn't all the way up - and then when he crushed his face into Harvey's neck and could smell the unmistakable scent of a woman's perfume.

He pulled back, frowning unhappily - something Harvey picked up on. "What's up?"

Mike frowned a bit longer before looking away, biting his lip. He didn't really know what to say. And Harvey clearly wasn't that serious about this woman as he'd left her behind. But what if they'd exchanged numbers and she was going to call later? What if they had done something and this woman was now pregnant? Mike didn't want a sibling - he really liked it just being him and Harvey; someone else would ruin everything. He sniffled as he contemplated all of this.

Louis walked back into the room, grumbling and looking down at his phone, before noticing that Harvey had come back. "Harvey! How long have you been back?"

"About a minute," Harvey replied, bouncing Mike up and down slightly with concern. "What have you done to my kid?"

"I'll have you know that myself and Mike get on brilliantly - we watched my DVD of _The Phantom of the Opera_."

"No wonder he looks miserable," Harvey replied smartly. Mike tugged at Harvey's shirt. "What, Mikey?" Mike had in fact been trying to smooth out the creases in the shirt that some woman had made and now felt his lips wobbling as he thought about Harvey giving someone else _more _attention than he was getting.

Harvey sighed. "Thanks, Louis - now get the hell out of my condo so I can actually take care of my son."

Louis puffed up, insulted. "Harvey I did an outstanding job of taking care of him while you were out doing god knows what - "

"Louis, the kid was left to his own devices for half an hour while you broke up with your girlfriend," Harvey reminded him.

Louis appeared to be about to retort before retracting and glaring instead. Evidently he didn't want to bring up the subject of his failed romance. "You're welcome," he said sharply, grabbing his bag and opening the front door. "You know he was fine before you got back," Louis said, as if Mike wasn't even in the room. "And now he's, well..." Louis saw that Mike's lips were wobbling uncontrollably and hastily took his leave before the toddler took the chance to cry over everything.

"Hey," Harvey said in a hushed voice, bouncing him up and down. "What's the matter? Hmm? What's up?"

Mike wasn't really sure how to convey what exactly he was feeling, and instead settled for a shaky shrug before bursting into tears. Harvey wasn't exactly shocked - he had seen it coming - but he was _very_ confused. Mike had been fine only a few moments ago; and as much as Harvey didn't exactly get on with Louis, he knew it was nothing the other man had done.

"What's up, buddy?" Harvey paced around the condo, rubbing Mike's back. "What happened?"

"I don't... like it... when you... go!" Mike managed to get out around the sobs. He was about to carry on to talk about his hatred of the women Harvey was now seeing, but was interrupted before he was given the chance.

"Oh... is that what this is? You missing me?" Harvey cupped the back of his head, and Mike - as much as he wanted to bury his face in Harvey's neck - recoiled slightly as he could smell the woman still. Harvey sighed at the motion. "You're tired," he said, as if it weren't already painfully obvious. "Alright," he sighed, managing to kick his shoes off whilst trying to make a warm drink - because he knew that if he wasn't careful it would be a long night and he really wasn't prepared to walk around all night in those shoes.

Mike could feel how tired he was; it had been creeping up on him steadily but he hadn't wanted to tell Louis. He liked Louis - surprisingly they got on really well - but he just couldn't let himself be... _himself _around him like he could with Nick or Donna or Harvey... He could be however he wanted around Harvey and the man wouldn't bat an eyelid. But what about the woman that would inevitably come into their lives? What if they didn't get on?

He wailed a bit more but this time let his face brush Harvey's neck and shoulder. He didn't even notice they were sat on the couch until Harvey offered him a drink. "C'mon," Harvey said softly, trying not to sound desperate, tired or like his evening just got ruined. He lifted the lid of the sippy-cup with it's warm milk sloshing around inside, and held it questioningly in front of Mike. The toddler took hold of it and started to suck hesitantly, gaining a soft smile from Harvey. The older man always knew that a reluctant bedtime was heading in the right direction if Mike accepted the offer of warm milk early on.

Soon he had nearly finished it all and had also stopped crying. He was trying to hold onto what he had been thinking beforehand - about Harvey bringing back some woman who would take his place close to Harvey's heart, and how that was a _bad _thing and that he had to keep his toddler mind in the background for a while so he could discuss his fears _rationally _with Harvey...

But then he was quickly being changed into a pull-up and some pyjamas and being placed into bed with a full, warm stomach. His eyes were slowly drooping and Daddy was tucking him in gently before giving him a soft kiss on the forehead and he guessed he could worry about it all some other time.

* * *

><p>A few days after this saw Harvey being given no choice but to bring Mike to work with him. Karen - Mike's tutoring child minder - had flu, and so Mike was happily going to work alongside Harvey. That day had people watching slightly sceptically as Harvey walked in with Mike once again in tow - except this time pushing a small scooter with him.<p>

Anyone who knew the small family semi-well would be able to tell straight away that the scooter was one of Nick Specter's creations. Clearly living vicariously through Mike, (although if Harvey was asked, he would scoff and say that Nick was living like that already, and simply trying to lure Mike over to the dark side) Nick had bought his nephew a three-wheeled scooter and had customised it with flames running up and down the foot stand and the pole, and had also put in luminous orange wheels.

Harvey had called it 'tacky' and 'garish' when he first saw it, and Nick had argued his case with the statement; "It's not as creepy as a tricycle. I was going to buy one of them, but we both know how that worked out in _The Shining_."

Which was true; especially since today Harvey agreed to let Mike roam the halls and corridors with his scooter - incredibly reminiscent of _The Shining_. Usually he would be a little more cautious regarding the matter and would possibly have insisted on a helmet, but as Donna had pointed out - it was a _three-wheeled scooter_.

"Just be careful," Harvey had said before sending him off.

"I will be," Mike had assured him.

"Don't run into anyone, don't try and go down stairs - come back here at," he glanced at his watch, "half past 10 at the latest. Alright?" Mike nodded, seeing that he had an hour. "Stay on the firm's floors; no going down too many floors in the elevator. Got it?" Mike nodded eagerly, being presented with a ruffle of his hair. "Have fun, kiddo."

Mike left after a quick goodbye to Donna - and also after quickly showing off his scooter - and decided to see how fast he could speed down corridors. After practising on it religiously in the park whenever he was round Nick's he was quite good at handling, and was whizzing around the associate's bullpen, 'accidentally' going over Kyle's feet and shouting out an unapologetic, "Sorry!" as he did so. He tried to do a handbrake turn into Rachel's office but soon found that it would be quite difficult to pull off - mostly owing to the fact he had no handbrake.

Instead he steered in carefully, chatting with her for a while before leaving to ride past Louis' office a few times to see if he noticed. He did, and looked incredibly confused when Mike sped past the glass walls for the fourth time. Finally he rode past Jessica's office, keeping his head down as she had a client with her and - even though she was trying to hid a smile, the client didn't look too amused.

He spent most of his hour going down corridors and exploring different parts of the firm. When it got to about quarter past 10 he started making his way back to Harvey's office.

Deciding to take a short cut through the partner's break room, he quickly came to a halt and hid behind a well placed file cabinet when he heard Harvey talking. His mouth drew into a thin line as he heard a woman's tinkling laugh following what Harvey had just said.

"Oh, Mr Specter - you're too funny!" From what Mike could see, she didn't appear to work there - Harvey didn't flirt with co-workers anyway - which left her to be either a client (also another Harvey no-no) or a rival lawyer (possible, if they weren't against each other).

"Harvey, please," the man said, and Mike could just see Harvey using his charming grin on her.

"Jeanette," she replied with.

"Such a lovely name," he told her. "It suits you really well."

She blushed and moved slightly closer. "If you wanted to see what _else _suits me really well... perhaps we can continue this discussion somewhere else?"

Mike had heard enough and knew he needed to do something. If Harvey was _insistent _he needed a mother, he didn't want a trampy one who would offer up anything required within the first 10 minutes of them meeting. He thought hard as he saw Harvey whispering in her ear and decided to back up the scooter a bit and push, as if to ride through. Then he managed to pull it over sideways - not an easy thing to do - and went crashing down with it.

What _was _easy was letting out a convincing wail, because _damn _that had _hurt _and Mike hadn't been expecting to injure himself. He rubbed at his arm and started crying - now no longer really interested in parting Harvey and Jeanette and more interested in just wanting his Daddy to come make it better.

It worked though; as after jumping at the sudden noise, Harvey had instantly gone over, pulling Mike up carefully from the horrendous wreckage (Mike allowed himself to be over-dramatic, because his arm _hurt_) to examine him. He ran his hands carefully over the small bruise that was appearing on the arm.

"Does that hurt?" Harvey asked, tenderly moving the arm around. Mike nodded. "Okay - on a scale of one to ten?"

Mike was trying to decide whether it was a four or a five on the pain scale when Jeanette bent and cooed. "You didn't tell me you were so good with kids! Maybe we can all go get coffee?"

"It hurts _alot_!" Mike wailed, practically howling into Harvey's lapel. "A _twenty_!" He sobbed, trying to remember not to move it much to keep up the illusion of a possible fracture. Harvey sighed and stood from where he had knelt, bringing Mike up into a hold whilst also pulling up the fallen scooter.

"Okay, buddy - let's go get it checked out," Harvey said soothingly. "Maybe another time, Jane."

"It's Jeanette," she said, sounding hurt.

"Right," Harvey replied, more concerned with carefully manoeuvring his son and a scooter to his office than he was with semantics. Mike waited until they were nearly at his office before dampening down the dramatics and sniffling. He gingerly moved his arm, having almost convinced himself that he had a broken arm. "How's it feel now, buddy?" Harvey asked him after realising he'd gone alarmingly quiet.

"Better," Mike sniffed.

Harvey raised an eyebrow. "Better? Okay - scale of one to ten?"

"Three?" Mike ventured, wiggling his fingers. "Can I go on my scooter again?"

Harvey furrowed his brow, unsure of what was happening and how to react. "What's up, Specter?" Donna asked from her position at her desk. She hadn't even glanced up but had been informed - through various sources around the firm - that Mike had been having an impressive crying fit.

"Mike fell off his scooter," Harvey told her. "He hurt his arm."

She instantly looked up and her eyes filled with concern. "Oh, sweetie - are you okay? Do you want some Tylenol? Harvey, have you checked for a fever?"

"A fever?" Harvey repeated before shaking his head. "I was going to take him to get it checked out but he seems fine now."

"Wiggle your fingers," she instructed Mike. She watched in satisfaction as he wiggled them, before taking hold of his hand and swinging it from left to right, mimicking something swinging open. She noted the lack of reaction and nodded. "You're fine. Maybe a bit of a bruise," she sat back down at her desk and got back to work.

"What..." Harvey looked slightly shell-shocked. "He was... he said..." He shook his head. "That's not exactly the best way to diagnose a broken arm."

"It's every mother's way," Donna informed him, rolling her eyes.

That's when it hit Mike.

It wasn't the idea of a mother he didn't like - it was the women he assumed Harvey would fill the role with.

He liked the idea of being mothered. Some would argue that Harvey was quite a mother-hen (Mike would be one of those to argue it) but he liked it when Donna stroked his cheek and spoke to him softly, or when she just gave him a cuddle if he looked upset.

Maybe if he could get Donna to be the mother that Harvey thought he wanted then it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe if he got Harvey and Donna together, then they could get married and he'd have a mother - and it wouldn't be so embarrassing if he accidentally called Donna 'Mommy' any more. To be fair, he'd only called her that twice, and he had been very tired one time and exceedingly happy and excited the other time.

He stayed quiet and watched as they bantered back and forth between themselves, trying to decide how to play matchmaker. He'd never attempted to bring two people together before, and so seemed to be deep in thought when he was finally addressed.

"Mike?"

He glanced up. "Yeah?"

"I said is it okay if Donna comes round tonight?"

Mike beamed.

* * *

><p>Mike had been watching Harvey when the man assumed he was watching <em>Toy Story <em>and was getting excited. Harvey had gotten in the shower when they got back from the firm, and was now choosing which clothes to wear while slapping on a small amount of cologne. Was he really going into all of this effort for Donna coming round? Mike could scarcely believe it - he'd only had the idea and hadn't even done anything about it yet, but _now_... now it seemed like the universe had decided to give him a break.

Mike's attention kept being drawn back to the film, but he put his foot down and brought out his adult mind. Although his adult mind had always liked _Toy Story_.

Even with his adult mind, as soon as Harvey sat down on the couch Mike quickly left his seat on the floor and crawled onto his lap, sitting sideways across it and letting his ear rest against Harvey's chest. He happily sat there as Harvey softly rubbed his back or ran fingers through his hair and let his eyes drift closed.

The knock at the door startled him slightly, before he instantly grinned and jumped off Harvey's lap, running to answer it. The older man let him, chuckling slightly at how excited he was and got up off the couch to greet Donna.

"Hey, Donna - thanks for coming," he smiled at her.

She smiled back, trying to extricate herself from Mike. "It's fine - although you owe me one."

Mike frowned. She had agreed to come round for dinner, hadn't she?

"I know I do," Harvey replied. "I'll see you later - I should get back at about..."

"Harvey, just enjoy yourself," Donna rolled her eyes. "It's your first actual night out in weeks; you're off tomorrow, I'm off tomorrow - we'll both get sleep. Don't think you need to get back for a certain time."

Harvey smiled at her. "Where did I find you?"

"I know, I'm amazing. Mike, say goodnight to Daddy," she said.

"You're _leaving_?" Mike wailed, tears already coming to his eyes as he realised that his plan had gone terribly wrong. "No, Daddy - _please_!"

Harvey sighed and knelt to look Mike in the eyes. "Buddy, what's wrong? You like Donna - don't you want to have fun with her for the evening?"

"No!" He sobbed, throwing himself at Harvey, leaving the man no choice to pick him up and straighten up. "I want to stay with _you_! Stay here with us!" He buried his face in Harvey's neck and refused to move.

"He's been like this before," Harvey confided into Donna and he bounced the toddler on his hip. "When I came back that time Louis was babysitting - it took ages to get him settled; he said he doesn't like it when I leave." Harvey looked concerned and also like he was second-guessing himself.

"Here's what's going to happen," Donna said, managing to pluck the wailing Mike from his arms. "You're going to stop feeling guilty, and you're going to go out and enjoy yourself. Find yourself some pretty girl and don't think about what's happening here, concentrate on yourself for once," Donna breathed in at the end of her rant. "And I can't believe Harvey Specter no longer only looks out for himself."

Harvey smiled, but Mike had been growing steadily louder throughout Donna's display of harsh truth. He didn't want Harvey to just forget that he existed while he canvassed various bars looking for the future Mrs Specter. He didn't think he'd ever sobbed so hard before.

"Donna, I can't just leave him like this - "

"Yes you can," Donna told him sternly. "I'm more than qualified enough to take care of this. This is just a little rough patch; he's feeling insecure and you know he doesn't like it when he's separated from you. It'll smooth over soon. Leave - now."

Harvey sighed but nodded, reaching over to cup Mike's cheek, wincing when the toddler pulled away, sobbing into Donna's neck. "Okay. Night, kiddo," he planted a kiss on Mike's head even when he was thrashing away and rubbed at his own face, before nodding to Donna. "You sure you'll be fine?" Donna rolled her eyes. "Right. See you later."

He quickly left and Donna began the task of calming Mike down. It surprisingly didn't take her long, and her calming ministrations soon had Mike snuffling. "Okay, sweetie," she said softly as she walked back and forth around the condo. "Talk to me."

"I don't want Daddy to go," he whispered snottily. "I don't like it when he leaves."

"Why not?" She asked, deciding to go into into Mike's room and settle down on his bed, wondering if she could take his mind off what he was thinking by making him tidy up a bit.

"He's gone to find some woman and I don't want him to bring someone back!" He sobbed. "It's _our _home, no one else's - I don't want to share it! What if he likes the woman better than me? I don't want him to forget about me!"

"Oh, sweetie," Donna cooed, patting his back and bouncing him on her knee. "Daddy's not going to forget about you! He'll always love you most! But what's wrong with letting him have other friends?"

"They won't be just _friends_," Mike spat. "They'll get _married _and he wants to give me a Mom but I don't _want _one, I have _you_, I don't need another one!"

Donna faltered slightly before closing her eyes and breathing out slowly. "Sweetie, Harvey's got no intentions of getting married any time soon. You remember how he was before?" She appealed to his adult side. Mike nodded and rubbed at his nose. "He likes his conquests - if he wants to actually pursue a long-term relationship then that's good - you should be happy for him."

Mike's lips wobbled some more. "I'm trying!" He insisted. "But it's so hard! I... I can't - the kid side of me _hates _it. It hates it whenever he even _talks _to someone else! And the other side of me _is _happy for him that he's trying to get a relationship even if he is a single father but I... I don't know what I want!"

Donna rubbed at his back again. "I think you need to talk to Harvey about it."

"I can't!" He insisted. "He'll feel guilty and I don't want to be a burden..."

"Mike, look at me," she lifted his chin with one finger. "The _last _thing you will _ever _be to Harvey is a burden. You got that?"

Mike shrugged and sniffed. "Maybe if _you _married him," he put forward his suggestion, "then he wouldn't feel the need to get me a Mom."

Donna chuckled and shook her head. "Baby, Harvey and I would be the worst couple ever. We'd be divorced within two hours."

"But you get on really well!" Mike told her, tugging at her arm.

"Yes we do," she agreed. "But that doesn't mean we'd be happy in a marriage. Now," she quickly changed the subject, "let's start tidying this room - it's a disgrace! When's the last time you tidied?"

Mike shrugged and half-heartedly attempted to tidy things away in a toy box as he thought about everything they had discussed. Pulling all the adult he could muster to the front of his mind he tried to rationalise what he was feeling.

Harvey was entitled to try out any kind of relationship he wanted with another human being. Mike couldn't stop him doing that. He was trying to figure out exactly what he didn't like about it - it was more just the irrational worry of becoming unloved and forgotten about. When Trevor started hanging around with Jenny, Mike couldn't help but feel left out - his best friend was constantly out with someone else and making plans without him.

And he was worried about the already fragile living situation. Was it fragile? Maybe it was just the feeling that he had been harbouring from the beginning - that it was too good to be true, and something would happen to sweep this life out from underneath Mike's feet.

Adding someone else to the equation would just add an unlimited amount of stress and worry on to him.

But maybe he wasn't being fair...

Harvey _was _lonely - he didn't really have _friends _as such, and just having Mike as company couldn't have been the perfect scenario if Harvey had envisioned his life before. Maybe he should give him a chance? Or at least not moan about it? It wasn't as if he was being introduced to them.

He decided there and then that if he _was _introduced to them, _then _he would worry about them being serious.

* * *

><p>To Mike's knowledge, Donna hadn't told Harvey about his worries. He had been pushed to apologise by Donna and Harvey was treating him exactly as he always did. He expected to just continue keeping his thoughts to himself, until one night that Harvey brought a woman home with him.<p>

Technically, he _had_ been planning on bringing her round, it wasn't some one night stand. But he had also been trying to wait until Mike was asleep before she came round.

Mike could tell that there was something happening. Harvey had dressed up but wasn't going out; he had dinner with Mike, bathed him and then read him endless amounts of stories before the small boy fell asleep; all the while not making in indication he was leaving. Mike had pretended to be in the very last stages of conciousness and so opened his eyes and sat up when Harvey left the room; listening to Harvey calling someone and telling them they could come round.

He was struck with sudden fear and kept biting his fingers in an effort to stay awake before this person came round. Finally there was a knock on the door and Mike peeped around his own to watch as a woman entered the condo, smiling and accepting the kiss on the cheek while she passed Harvey a bottle of wine.

Whether she knew he had a toddler, Mike didn't know - she didn't look surprised if she saw the memo board containing star magnets or the toys that Harvey had somehow missed when he had been tidying. Although they were quickly swept under the couch so Mike couldn't be sure if she'd seen.

"I have to say, Harvey - I wasn't sure whether to come see you," she said, sitting down on the couch. "A year and a half is a long time. Although you don't look like you've changed much."

Harvey gave her an easy smile. "I've changed more than you'll ever know," he smiled at her chuckle and poured them both wine from the bottle she'd brought. After a while Harvey said hesitantly; "I'm sorry about your marriage not working out..."

She shrugged. "He wasn't ready to have a long distance marriage so I thought I'd take the pressure of him. Of course, it might also be that he slept with half of London," she smiled at him.

"Long distance?" Harvey queried.

"I've bought a flat in New York," she told him. "I've been accepted as a junior partner to Peterson, Wayne & Beitermen," she smirked at him. "Rivals once more."

"I look forward to kicking your ass in court," Harvey replied, and Mike watched, chewing his thumb in an attempt to stay awake. This didn't seem like the heavy flirting he assumed would be taking place. They were just sitting and chatting like old friends. With this in mind, he wanted to just go back to bed, but he didn't know what else could happen.

"Daddy?" He decided to walk in, rubbing at eyes with one bunched up fist and chewing his thumb with the other hand. He was very well practised at looking like he'd just woken up. Harvey glanced over to the woman before opening his arms slightly to let Mike crawl into them.

"Hey, buddy. What are you doing awake?" Mike shrugged and leant against Harvey, before turning towards the woman.

"Daddy, who's she?"

Harvey closed his eyes for a second before answering. "This is an old friend of mine from school. You can call her Scotty."

"Like in Star Trek?" Mike asked tiredly, relaxing as he found out that Harvey at least had history with this woman.

Harvey smiled and rubbed his back. "Like in Star Trek," he agreed. "Scotty, this is Mike."

"Hi, Mike," she smiled at him. "Wow, Harvey - I know you said you'd changed but... looking after another living human being? Is he..." she tailed off delicately.

"He's my son," he informed her.

"How old are you?" She asked Mike, looking genuinely interested. Mike held up four fingers, chewing on the others. "Harvey why you didn't tell me you had a son last time we saw each other?"

"Didn't know he existed," Harvey replied. "It's a long story. I'll tell you some other time. Right now, _someone _needs to go back to bed."

"Wanna stay up with you and Scotty," Mike whined.

"We're staying up past your bedtime, kiddo," Harvey told him firmly.

"I'm a big boy," he mumbled. "I can stay up late too."

"I'm sure you can," Harvey said, rocking him and pressing a kiss to his head. "But not tonight."

"Why not?" Mike whined. He was _really _tired, but he didn't want Harvey to just stay with Scotty all night.

"Because I have a friend round," Harvey told him. "And you're going to be very polite and say goodnight to Scotty and then go to sleep so Daddy can catch up with her."

Mike pouted and whined but Harvey stood up and hoisted him up onto his hip and turned to face Scotty. "Night night," Mike mumbled, hiding his face in Harvey's chest.

She smiled, however. "Goodnight, Mike."

"I'll be right back," Harvey told her, quickly tucking Mike back in. "Sorry we woke you up, bud," he apologised. Mike started to suck his thumb and let his eyes close against his will. He wanted to tell Harvey all of his worries, but he had a hand carding through his hair and it was _so _soothing and he was very soon completely out for the count. Harvey smiled and went back to Scotty, wondering how he was going to explain how he was now a dad.

* * *

><p>They probably wouldn't have been interrupted again, but Mike had a nightmare. He shot awake, breathing hard and crying slightly. He knew he shouldn't have kept all his worries bottled up; it was slowly infecting his dreams and he had dreamt that he was thrown out of the apartment as soon as Harvey got a girlfriend. He tried to go back to sleep, but he couldn't - he <em>needed <em>the reassurance that Harvey still wanted him.

"Daddy!" Both Harvey and Scotty jumped as Mike ran out, crying, straight into Harvey's legs.

"Woah," he quickly caught the boy and pulled him onto his lap, giving Scotty apologetic looks. "What's wrong?"

"Nightmare," Mike hiccuped, taking comfort in Harvey's presence.

"Okay," Harvey shushed him, rubbing his back. "Want to tell me what it was about?" Mike quickly shook his head, scared that voicing it would make it happen. "Just calm down," he said soothingly, rocking him. "Sorry about this," he looked over at Scotty.

"It's fine, Harvey - it's actually quite amazing," she said, shaking her head. "I didn't think you would ever find anyone you would love more than yourself. Want me to leave?"

Harvey shook his head. "Wait a while - he'll calm down soon."

Mike tried calming down as he listened to Harvey and Scotty talking. He knew it was late, and yet all they were doing was chatting. This wasn't he had expected at all. Although Harvey had said they were old friends...

"Are you and Scotty gonna get married, Daddy?" Harvey raised an eyebrow and looked down at the toddler while Scotty giggled into her wine glass.

"What makes you think I want to marry her?" He asked, smirking when she stuck her tongue out at him.

"'Cause you keep going out with girls," Mike explained in a small voice. "You wanna get married so I have a Mom. I don't want one; I like Scotty, but I don't want a Mom," he pleaded, new tears threatening to fall.

"Hey, where's this coming from?" He asked, slightly confused. "Scotty, I hate to do this, but - "

"Say no more," she stood up, smiling, grabbing her bag. "I'll leave you to it. Bye, Mike - it was nice to meet you," she smiled at the toddler, who gazed up at her despondently.

"I'll see you later," Harvey said to her, watching as she left before turning his attention to Mike. "Now - explain to me what's wrong."

Mike closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. Harvey recognised this as Mike trying to get into his adult head space and so left him to it, waiting until he spoke. Eventually, Mike reopened his eyes and looked down at his lap as he spoke.

"I don't like it when you go out late all the time - I know you go out to pick up chicks," he heard Harvey give a small chuckle at his wording. "But I don't want anything to change! I like how it is now, and I don't need a mom - if this is you thinking I need a mom then you're wrong!"

"Easy, Mike," Harvey rubbed at his back. "I'm not picking up chicks every night, I promise," he shook his head ruefully. "Maybe you're right - maybe I've been going out too much," he jogged Mike up slightly. "You don't feel like I'm forgetting about you, do you?"

Mike's eyes stayed fixed at a point on his lap before he nodded.

"Aw, buddy, that's not true at all," Harvey insisted. "You know you're right at the centre of my life - everything else comes second to you."

"But when you get a girlfriend that'll change," Mike said quietly. "You'll spend all your time with her - and what if you get married and have a kid? Then you'll love him more because he'll _actually _be your son and I'm just the spare," Mike burbled, tears dripping down his face.

Harvey sighed and leant back, letting Mike rest against him, eventually lying down on the couch and having Mike lie flush on top of him. "Listen to me carefully, Mike," Harvey said softly. "You listening?"

Mike sniffed and nodded. "Uh-huh."

"I've never really gotten into the whole relationship thing," Harvey confided. "My love life consists of a string of nights. Most of the women I meet I'm not interested in them - just like they're not interested in me; it's just a night thing. I've still not yet found someone I could love."

"Scotty - "

"Scotty comes close," Harvey told him, rubbing his head gently. "I confess to that. But I swear if I do find someone serious - you'll be the first to know. Nothing will change, you got me?" He patted Mike's back. "Got it? There's no way anyone can come as close as you are. Not within a couple of miles at least."

"I don't want to be a burden," Mike whispered, already exhausted because of the time of night it was, but these soul-baring confessions seemed to be taking it out of him. "I don't want to be the reason you don't have a girlfriend. But then I don't want you to spend all your time with her and forget about me."

"Mikey; I don't think it's possible for me to forget about you. You will _always_ come first, got it?" Mike stared at him with wide eyes. "I mean it, kiddo - always have, always will. I might want a girlfriend; but she would have to know that she would come after you. If she didn't understand that then I wouldn't want to be with her."

"You wouldn't?"

"Not if she didn't understand how important you are to me," Harvey told him, wiping away the tears from Mike's cheeks. "Okay?"

Mike snuffled and nodded, pulling his arm up and putting his thumb in his mouth. "Still think you should marry Donna."

Harvey laughed easily as he felt his own eyelids drooping. "Yeah? Why's that?"

"I like Donna," Mike mumbled. "She's a good Mom."

"She can be your Mom without being married to me," Harvey reminded him. "I never thought you needed a mother."

"You didn't?"

"I thought I might need some help around the flat occasionally but; as far as single dads go - I'm not doing so badly, am I?"

Mike shook his head. "You're my favourite Daddy," he confessed.

Harvey laughed slightly. "You're my favourite monkey," he huffed at the small punch to the chest he received. "You're my favourite kid. Now go to sleep, Mikey."

He felt Mike nod against him slightly and soon both of them had dropped off to sleep, lying both on the couch, clinging to each other.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Think I knocked this out quite quickly what with all the Jubilee celebrations going on XD (I'm British in case you couldn't tell ;)) Did stop for multiple tea breaks mind ;) So yeah... Let me know your thoughts - there will no doubt be proper dating Harvey somewhere in the future but this was mainly just to try and clear the air between them both and to make it plain it was okay for both of them :P You just wait till Mike gets a girlfriend... ;)**

**And in regards to Donna's method of checking for broken bones - my mother's favourite method XD Because I'm an incredibly clumsy person, she's well-versed in all things medical and if I complain about my wrist hurting (broken 3 wrists overall XD) she makes me wiggle my fingers - if that doesn't hurt = no broken bone ;)**

**Sorry about that small anecdote XD I just felt the need to justify Donna's judgement ;)**


	14. Behind The Mask

**Hey guys :D I have loads of ideas for future chapters but this is one I had to THINK for. I had to actually COME UP with a scenario :O I thought REALLY hard for it too :P All my other ideas were going to feature mini!Mike and while this is in no way a bad thing, I thought you could use some diversity in ages ;)**

* * *

><p>For the fifth time in one week, Harvey got back home in the small hours of the morning. The first thing he always did was check in Mike's room, just to make sure the kid hadn't died since he'd been gone. After readjusting the duvet cover that his son had kicked off at some point, Harvey kissed his forehead and left the room quietly.<p>

He slid down the couch, rubbing at his eyes before looking over to Nick, who was sleeping at an awkward angle, the blanket he had draped over him now slipping onto the floor. Harvey rolled his eyes at the small pool of drool that was threatening to form on his couch and grabbed the hoodie he knew was Nick's, quickly mopping it up and leaving it by his mouth in case he made any more.

He may as well let Nick move in, he decided. He had dutifully babysat his 9 year old nephew every time night over the past week while Harvey had to work hard on a case that was - thankfully - now coming to a close. He had court tomorrow, but was feeling quite confident about it. All of this work was generating the big bucks for Pearson Hardman, but was really putting a strain on Harvey - not just the workload, but the fact that he could count on one hand the overall amount of hours he'd spent with Mike that week when the kid had actually been awake.

So Nick had been sleeping over, taking Mike to work with him or staying in the condo - sometimes taking him to the park, making his food... He had started keeping a bag with his own clothes in, stashed in Harvey's wardrobe.

"Sorry, Nicky," Harvey whispered, doing the same as he had done for Mike and pulled the blanket up to where it must have originally been. "You can go home tomorrow."

Nick mumbled something intelligible and Harvey smiled slightly, squeezing his shoulder before standing, knowing he needed to go to sleep as well. He looked in on Mike one more time - because he needed more interaction with his son - before slowly making his way to his own room.

* * *

><p>Harvey got up early - as he had done every day this week - and was showered, dressed, groomed and was making coffee for himself and Nick when Mike appeared. It was still too early for him to be up, but Harvey guessed he'd either been woken by the sounds of life in the living room or he just wanted to see Harvey.<p>

Harvey guessed it was more of the latter, as Mike quickly ran up to him, giving him a hug.

"Hey, buddy," Harvey said, ruffling his hair. "How was yesterday? Did you have fun?"

Mike nodded, rubbing at his still-sleepy eyes and following Harvey to the couch, sitting as close to him as possible without getting on his lap, letting his head rest against Harvey's upper arm as the man in question sipped at his coffee and watched the news. He noticed that Mike was suspiciously quiet. He knew it was early, but that had never stopped Mike before.

He glanced down and saw Mike fiddling with the hem of his Iron Man pyjamas (He had moved through a variant of obsessions and was in the midst of a superhero kick; this month's favourite was Tony Stark - which Harvey was grateful for, as it was much easier to find Iron Man pyjamas than it had been to find Spirit pyjamas).

"What's wrong?" Harvey asked, moving to put his coffee cup down in order to focus on Mike.

The little boy chewed on the tip of his thumbnail for a second before answering. "You don't like spending time with me anymore," he said in a quiet voice.

"What?" Harvey pulled the boy on his lap, waiting for the small struggle that meant 'I'm 9, I don't need to sit on your lap!' to die before questioning him. "Of course I do!"

"You're always at work, and when you're not you're doing work _here _and you never go anywhere with me anymore - you missed my mock mock trial," he snuffled.

"Your what?" Harvey asked, confused.

"It was good," Nick chipped in from where he had been a silent witness on the couch, curled in his blanket. "You should've seen him - he completely crushed prosecution."

"Why a mock, _mock _trial?" Harvey asked.

"'Cause it wasn't a real mock trial," Mike told him, as if it were obvious.

"Why didn't you tell me about it?" Harvey asked, looking disappointed to have missed it.

"You were busy with a case," Mike reminded him. "It wasn't a real trial anyway."

"Buddy, you know I want to see all of your trials - real or not. When was it?"

"Yesterday," Nick answered for him. "It was hilarious, Harv - there were all these 19 year olds about to go off into the big bad world to study pre-law and then Mikey was there, kicking _ass_!"

Harvey smiled, clearly imagining the sight of his small son wearing an Avengers t-shirt appealing to a jury, surrounded by serious looking teenagers in suits. He was wondering whether it had been the right thing to do, letting Mike go to High School, but when he heard of how even there Mike was in accelerated programmes... he felt incredibly proud.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there," Harvey said, rubbing Mike's arm.

Mike shrugged. "Doesn't matter."

"Yes it does," Harvey told him, frowning. "Okay - this case is almost over. How about next week, you and me have a a day that's just us. I'll come back from work, I'll leave everything there; case files, clients - I'll turn my phone off. What do you think?"

Mike beamed ecstatically.

* * *

><p>"Harvey, I wanted to thank you for all the work you were putting into the Enfield case," Jessica told him, smiling as she entered his office.<p>

"Is this when I get my likeness in bronze?" Harvey asked, a smirk on his face.

"Unfortunately not, the cast hasn't set fully yet," Jessica teased, before passing him a ticket.

"What's this?" He asked, confused.

"The firm's been invited to a ball by Franklin Anderson," she told him, knowing he knew who that was. Anderson had up until recently been with a rival firm, bringing them in nearly 100 million dollars a year. He was now shopping around, and was hosting a ball, inviting several key firms from around the city in order to help in deciding who to turn to. "I thought you might want to come."

"You would have brought me along anyway," he told her confidently.

"Well I guess you'll never know," she countered, striding smoothly out of her office. He smiled at her retreating back and looked down at the ticket. It was a smooth white ticket, embossed with gold writing that said very clearly where and when the ball would take place. He rolled his eyes a bit when he read it was a masquerade ball. How cliché.

It was then he read the date.

It was exactly the same day that he had promised Mike would be _their _day. He couldn't just go back on that promise; but this would be a major win for the firm - he was already on track to becoming a managing partner and winning Anderson would practically guarantee the firm's name being changed within a week.

But still... Mike was already going through enough - he was staying silent and not complaining whenever Harvey had to work late; even Nick had told him that Mike had said nothing to him. And it was only one night.

They could always reschedule.

* * *

><p>Mike was excited. He had been promised that on Thursday night, it would be just their time. No one but him and Harvey; no work, no 'quick' phone calls, no thinking about cases. Just the two of them, spending time with each other. Mike had finished all of his school work and Uncle Nick had just left - apparently there were hundreds of balloons being let go in Central Park that day in honour of something and he wanted a good shot of it. He knew it wouldn't be long before Harvey came home though - he had already made Mike promise to call him if an hour after he left, he was still on his own. Only twenty minutes after Nick left did Harvey walk into the condo, putting down his suitcase and looking to be fighting a private dilemma.<p>

"Dad! How was work? What happened? Do you have any cool clients? How's Donna? Can I come to work one day?" Mike babbled endlessly, and it pained Harvey to think that he was so excited now that the older man was home. Harvey squeezed his shoulder as he walked into the kitchen, letting Mike talk keep talking, asking questions and then telling Harvey about his day.

Harvey occasionally nodded as he went about the kitchen, flicking the coffee machine on and getting out a mug, before getting out a glass and wiggling a juice carton from the fridge to wordlessly ask Mike if he wanted some. The kid nodded without drawing breath and Harvey smiled, pouring out some juice into the glass and passing it to the boy.

It wasn't until they were both seated on the couch, Mike moving some of his superhero action figures to one side and saying how on Thursday night they could maybe watch a Marvel film, that Harvey finally spoke.

"Mike; about Thursday - " Harvey began.

"You have work," Mike immediately said, a sinking feeling in his stomach, and Harvey could hear the despondent tone in his voice. "You have to bring loads of files home, but you promise you'll be done with them in an hour tops," he said dully - something Harvey could remember himself promising many times before this.

"Not exactly," Harvey replied, wincing when Mike looked up at him with a mixture of hope and devastation. "I've been invited to this ball for a prospective client," he explained. "And it's on Thursday night - I'll be out till late."

Mike nodded, looking down at his lap and playing with his fingers.

"We can make it tomorrow night instead?" Harvey suggested.

Mike shook his head. "You already said you'd be working all of tomorrow to finish work so you wouldn't have any on Thursday," Mike reminded him. "And on Friday you'll be catching up with any work you'll have missed on Thursday."

"I'm sorry, buddy," Harvey said, reaching out with one hand to cup his cheek and rub at it with his thumb. "I really hadn't planned for this - I promise I'll make sure I have the whole weekend off?" He said, realising how hollow that sounded. "We can go somewhere - we can do anything you want? The whole weekend, just you and me?"

"Saturday you promised Donna you'd help her move," Mike informed him, his lips wobbling slightly. "Sunday Grandma and Grandpa are coming down for the day."

"But you'll have fun," Harvey said weakly, realising that Mike knew exactly what Harvey was doing on each day - probably to avoid disappointment. "You like seeing your grandparents."

Mike gave a small sniff. "I like spending time with _you_," he said, rubbing at his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mikey," Harvey said, pulling him into a hug, resting his chin on Mike's head. "I guess I really screwed this up."

"It's not fair," Mike whispered. "I never get to see you - I've seen Uncle Nick more than I've seen you. I _miss _you."

"I miss you too, monkey," Harvey replied quietly, breathing out slowly. "I'm sorry."

"Why does the firm get to see you more than I do?" Mike said, and Harvey could tell he'd started to cry softly. "Why do you have to go to this stupid ball?"

"He could be a really big client," Harvey informed him. "Jessica wants my support there. If I land this guy, I get a huge bonus; maybe even my name on the sign," Harvey realised that Mike was about to question why that was so important. "I can spend a lot more time with you if I become managing partner," Harvey told him. "And just think of all the presents you'll get if I get this bonus."

"I don't _want _more presents or money!" Mike cried out. "I want _you_!"

"And I want you," Harvey reassured him, rocking him slightly. "I'm sorry, kiddo, really - we can plan for next week?"

"You'll just break your promise again!" Mike tore away from him and gathered up his action figures, going to his room and slamming the door.

Harvey sighed and slithered down in his seat. It seemed like more and more Mike was doing this. And he wasn't anywhere near the teenage stage yet! Harvey seemed to recall having a well behaved, sunny little boy. That _had _happened, hadn't it? He hadn't just woken up and found a 9 year old boy who would get easily upset and hide in his room rather than talk it out?

Or hug it out.

It annoyed Harvey that when it came to his son, he found it easier to just give him physical affection rather than try and talk through the issues. He grabbed his home phone and dialled Nick's number, hoping for some guidance.

_"Hey - what's up, Mikey? Harvey not home yet?"_

"It's me, Nicky."

_"Oh. Hey, big bro. What's up?"_

"Am I interrupting anything?" Harvey asked, knowing there was a reason that Nick hadn't been there when he got in from work.

_"I literally _just _put my camera away when you called. Everything okay?"_

"I'm assuming Mike told you about Thursday?"

He heard a chuckle down the other end of the phone. _"Couldn't get him to shut up about it. The way the kid was talking, you'd think you'd just agreed to take him to Disneyland for the day."_

Harvey winced - not just because of how excited the kid had been, but because he remembered the last time they had been to Disneyland. It was only a week after they had started living together, and Harvey had been given some free tickets by a thankful client. It had been fun - and Harvey had kept promising Mike that they would return one day.

If he wasn't careful, after this week, they would be spending a month there.

"I have to go to a social for the firm on Thursday," Harvey said, sighing. "I can't get out of it, and now I wouldn't be surprised if Mike refuses to talk to me ever again."

_"Stop being so dramatic, Harv," _Nick laughed at him. _"The kid thinks you hung the moon - it'll take more than one small disappointment to knock that attitude out of him; believe me, I know."_

That may have sounded a little more bitter than Harvey would have liked. He and his brother had been close as children - well, as closer as any brothers; Harvey usually thought his little brother was annoying, and Nick usually thought his big brother was bossy. But most of the time, Nick looked up to his brother, and Harvey protected his. And when Harvey disappointed him a few times (usually missing his plays at school or his exhibitions) Nick just bounced back - because there was still a small part of him that worshipped his big brother.

"But I don't _do _disappointing," Harvey said, sounding more sure of himself than he thought. "I make sure that kid is _constantly _happy."

_"Well you haven't been doing that great a job this week, bro," _Nick said in a commiserating way. _"Look - if you can't get out of this 'social'... why don't you just take Mike with you? I mean; he's a good kid, he'll behave himself."_

"This isn't just a party, Nick," Harvey told him, although his brother's idea _had _made him think for a second. "It's practically a networking event; I can't bring a kid with me."

_"Well don't ask me to babysit,__" _Nick warned him. _"I booked Thursday off. Gotta work at my actual job." _

A wave of guilt swept through Harvey. "I'm sorry," he said in a low voice. "I really appreciate you looking after him."

_"No problemo," _Nick said airily. _"Look, I have to go - lemme know what you decide on."_

"I will," Harvey promised. "Bye, Nick."

_"Seeya, Harv."_

Harvey sat back as he thought. Surely taking Mike to this couldn't be _that _bad? Okay, it wasn't the same as it being just the two of them - but at least it was something. Although the kid hadn't liked the idea of their weekend with Donna and Harvey's parents, so maybe he wouldn't like the idea of them both going to this ball.

But it was out of the question - Jessica wouldn't let him bring his 9 year old son when they were trying to bring in a client. He wouldn't be able to actually spend any time with Mike there anyway - he'd be too busy networking.

But what else could he do? Nick couldn't babysit, Donna would be knee deep in work and anyone else he would consider would be _at _this event. It was too short notice to hire a sitter - and he didn't really trust someone he'd never met before.

Maybe he'd _have _to bring Mike? It was either that or stay at home with him; and Harvey knew which one Jessica would prefer.

He got up and knocked on Mike's door hearing the explosion and fight sounds die down as he did so. He opened the door and walked in to see Mike knelt on the floor, looking up at him with distrust in his eyes as he held a Batman figure in one hand and Iron Man in the other. The other Avengers that had clearly been backup for Iron Man were lying apart and a Superman toy was on his other side.

Harvey nodded down. "Who's winning?"

Mike broke his gaze and looked down at his lap, clutching the figures closer to him. Harvey sighed and knelt, sitting opposite Mike, wincing and moving so that he wasn't sat on top of a Green Lantern toy. "Mike," he said. "Mikey, look at me."

Mike looked up, still holding his toys close to his chest, like they would protect him from whatever Harvey was about to say.

"I can't get out of this ball - and there's no one available to look after you. If I can square it with Jessica - what do you say about coming with me?"

Mike bit his lip. "I wanted it to be me and you," he said quietly.

"I know you do, buddy," Harvey said placatingly. "So do I - but this is what has to happen. I'll even let you stay up late and we can maybe get take-out?"

Mike shrugged.

"It's a masquerade ball," Harvey told him. "You can wear a mask."

"Can I be Iron Man?"

"Uh..." Harvey knew that even if he could get Jessica to agree to this, she would definitely put her foot down on that. "Maybe something a bit more classic."

"Can I be Batman?" Mike asked, letting his figures slowly come away from himself as he talked.

"I don't see why not," Harvey said, giving up. Surely a Batman mask would be fine? It would go with the whole 'black tie' theme better than an Iron Man mask would. "So are you okay coming with me?"

Mike nodded. "I guess," he shrugged, readying his troops for battle again before looking up at Harvey. "You wanna be Batman?" He held out the action figure to Harvey. The older man took it and it wasn't too long after this that both of them had moved from Mike's room and into the main part of the condo, battling to the death.

Why Batman hated Iron Man so much, Harvey wasn't sure but he inevitably pinned Mike to his bed and tickled him until he cried uncle and gave Batman the title of winner - Harvey didn't care what Mike said, the missiles from Iron Man had been well and truly dodged.

* * *

><p>The first thing Harvey did on Wednesday morning was go to Jessica, asking for an emergency appointment.<p>

"Harvey - surely the word 'emergency' is just a touch dramatic?" She said, raising an eyebrow as he entered.

"You should know by now that dramatic's my style," he said, giving her a cheeky smile.

"Harvey, I'm busy - what's so important?"

"Thursday."

"What about it? And if this is to request that Louis doesn't come either, then I'll tell you what I told him - I want both of you there and you can just suck it up and make nice."

"It isn't about that," Harvey told her, making her sit up and take notice.

"Really? This should be interesting then."

"I have no one to look after Mike," he told her. "I'd already made it clear to anyone I usually ask that tomorrow I was planning on having a night in with the kid for once," he said, trying to make her feel guilty as he levelled a stare at her. She just held a poker face, nodding slightly as she listened. "The only solution is to let me bring him, or I don't go."

"Okay."

"Okay... That's it?"

Jessica sat back, folding her arms. "That's it. You can bring Mike."

"There's a catch to this, isn't there?" He growled. "I've done enough work over the past few weeks, I'm not doing a pro bono - "

"No catch," she told him. "Anderson's last firm was very family orientated; I think he'll have some young family members there. It might work in our favour. Oh, but Harvey?" She stood up to put a book on her shelf, holding eye contact with him. "This doesn't mean he gets to act like a kid. I expect immaculate behaviour - from _both _of you. Got it?"

He saluted her and rolled his eyes. "I raised him, Jess," he reminded her. "He'll be even better behaved than some of the other lawyers there."

"That I don't doubt," she said, a smile on her face, lighting up her eyes. "Get out of here."

* * *

><p>Mike looked at himself in the mirror with his mask on. It was quite creepy. Batman made it look cool. Iron Man made it look cool. Seeing it up close wasn't so cool. Suddenly, another mask appeared behind him without warning and he gave a small squeak and stumbled backwards, knocking into the masked figure.<p>

"Woah, easy, slugger," Harvey easily caught him and turned him around. Mike quivered slightly and reached up on his tip-toes, pushing the mask up so that he could the whole of Harvey's face. The mask was a nice one; even Mike could see that.

Harvey hadn't wanted to 'play dress-up' as he had described it but he _did _want to impress and so had bought an expensive Venetian mask; it was in the baroque style and was all silver except for the ornate extras on the top and on the sides which were a light, almost white gold colour. The small carvings looked like a classic Italian coat of arms and it looked classy, definitely working well with Harvey's suit. The man had already decided that he didn't want feathers on his.

He had given Mike a suit; one that was basically the same as the one he was wearing, except his bow tie was tied. "C'mere, kiddo - we need to make you look good."

He knelt and started to tie the bow tie on Mike's small tux, finishing and tweaking it slightly before standing once more, smiling. "Perfect."

Mike beamed at him, and hid his nervous grimace as Harvey pulled his own mask back down. He didn't like not being able to see Harvey's facial expressions - anyone else would say they could never tell what he was thinking even with full access to his face. But Mike could usually tell what he was thinking. Not being able to tell what someone was thinking was making him nervous.

And he was about to walk straight into a room full of people with masks on.

And he couldn't exactly tell Harvey they had to leave; Harvey _had _to be here. He couldn't leave; even if his son was about to have a nervous breakdown because he didn't like masks.

* * *

><p>When they walked into the room, Mike wanted to grab Harvey's hand and never let go. He had never before given any thought at all to the subject of masks; he had seen plenty of mask films; Batman, Zorro, The Spirit - any superhero film. But for some reason seeing them in real life was different. And these masks weren't even small pieces of material - quite a few were full face masks; making Mike even more nervous (and he suspected it would soon kick into high gear and be labelled as 'terrified').<p>

"Harvey, glad you showed up," Mike jumped and took Harvey's hand upon coming face to face with Louis, who was wearing a Phantom of the Opera mask. He could probably get used to it but being suddenly confronted by it had been bad enough.

Harvey looked down at Mike, confused, and squeezed his hand before taking his own away, placing it on Mike's shoulder. "Louis - I would have thought you'd have gone for a full-face mask."

"And why is that?" He replied, as Jessica glided towards them with an elegant eye mask on a long stick in her hands.

"Well explaining an insult makes it less funny," Harvey informed him. "Think about it. Jessica," he greeted as she approached.

"Harvey," she gave him a small smile before looking at Mike. "Michael. Did you choose your mask yourself?"

Mike wasn't sure if Jessica was curious or just getting ready to tease him because of his choice. He edged closer to Harvey and glanced up slightly. Harvey frowned, not knowing why Mike was suddenly acting so shy; but at the same time understanding what was going through his head.

"You don't like it?" Harvey asked her, a warning look on his face (as much as he could show, with his mask in the way)

"I think it's creative," she acknowledged. "Not many would have thought of actual masks when told to buy one."

Mike breathed out slightly and nodded to her previous question.

"I like it," she assured him, giving him a small smile and nod. "Now, gentlemen - I'm about to go speak with Mr. Anderson; are you coming?" They both nodded and Louis started following Jessica immediately as Harvey turned to look at Mike.

"Okay, kiddo - I'm going to talk to a possible client for a while; I know he has some nephews and nieces dotted around - how about you go try and find them?"

"Okay, Dad," Mike said quietly, trying not to look at the masks around him. "Go save the world."

Harvey chuckled and carefully ruffled Mike's hair. "How'd I get lucky enough to wind up with a kid like you?"

Mike grinned impishly at him. "Go kick it in the ass."

"Language," Harvey said, not really meaning it as he _was _about to go kick it in the ass. He _would _land this client. "I'll come find you afterwards - if you get lost or you can't find me, go stand by the large staircase, alright?" He said, pointing it out. "I'll look for you there first. If all else fails, try and find Jessica or Louis. Got it?"

"I got it," Mike nodded, smiling at Harvey as the man finally took his leave, quickly scoping out Jessica and Louis standing next to who was undoubtedly the client they had come here to woo. Mike smiled slightly with pride as he saw other lawyers looking sullen and slightly nervous that Pearson Hardman were there.

He turned and stopped himself yelling in surprise as he almost bumped into someone with a plague doctor-like mask on - complete with a bird's beak. He squeaked out a hasty 'sorry' and backed away, looking at the floor as much as possible. He sometimes glanced up to see if he could find the other kids that Harvey had mentioned, but it was a large ballroom, and people were filling every corner of it - dancing, chatting; just milling around and networking. Mike could feel how clammy his hands were as the soulless eyes behind the calm masks filled him with dread.

He had no idea what they were thinking - they could be looking at him and he would never know. He wanted more than anything to clutch onto Harvey and press his face into his side to avoid looking at any more masks. But he couldn't.

Harvey was busy, and Mike had to prove that he was responsible enough to be brought to something like this and behave himself. He rubbed his sweaty palms down his suit jacket and dodged in and out between clusters of people - finally coming across a group of kids that were near enough his age.

"Uh... hi," Mike said, pulling his mask up so that he could see (and breathe) properly. "I'm Mike."

"Hi," another boy smiled at him - his mask already forgotten, simply clutched in his hand. "I'm Adam - your parents here too?"

"My dad's here," Mike said, as the other two children there also gathered round to meet the new arrival. "Are yours?"

"Yeah - my mom and dad work at the bar," he pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. "Mr. Anderson didn't mind me coming though - they've worked for him for a while."

"That's my Daddy," a girl informed him. "I'm Gabrielle. You can call me Gabby, if you want," she blushed and looked away from him, causing him to blush slightly as well. "And this is my cousin, Oscar," the boy looked to be about 6 and held on tightly to Gabby's hand shyly. "His mom's my auntie."

"So this is your dad's party?" Mike asked, taking his mask off his head entirely and holding it in front of him.

Gabby nodded. "All these people are here to try and be my dad's lawyer."

"My dad's trying," Mike said, fidgeting uncomfortably.

"I hope he wins," she said, surprisingly. "If he's as nice as you."

Mike blushed again and looked over at Adam, unsure of what to do now. "Cool mask," the other boy said helpfully, taking it and looking at it. "My mom only gave me a Zorro mask. Can I try it on?" Mike nodded and smiled as a small Batman appeared before him. Adam giggled and raised his arms, standing up tall and making Oscar giggle slightly.

"My Daddy got me a _real _mask," Gabby told Mike, carefully pulling it over her face. Stones flashed in the glittering light of the ballroom and one graceful feather on each side descended down to frame her face.

"I like it," Mike told her, smiling. And he did - it was a lot less scary than the other masks in the room. Reminded of this he glanced around, nerves crumbling slightly as the masks seemed to swarm him.

He really just wanted his Dad...

"We're about to play hide and seek - you wanna join in?" Adam offered.

"Uh... Yeah, okay," Mike nodded, taking his mask back from Adam.

Batman wasn't scared of anything.

* * *

><p>Except, it seemed, small, dark cupboards just off ballrooms. It was the perfect hiding place; Adam would never find him. He breathed slowly, just vaguely hearing sounds from the ballroom escaping from the doors.<p>

After nearly five minutes Mike got bored and quickly left, thankful to get out where it was light. Unfortunately, he was also in the thoroughfare for staff - who had all been instructed to wear masks too - and they had all bought the same one to make them easier to identify. They were simply white masks; no expression on them whatsoever.

And it freaked Mike the hell out.

"Hey, kid, you're not allowed back here," one of them said, pointing to him. He felt adrenaline rush through him and could feel damp prickling on the back of his neck.

"C'mon, son, let's get you back to the party," another walked forward with his hand out, ready to escort Mike back, but he gave a cry and bolted, quickly running back into the ballroom - straight into the lion's den.

He couldn't tell if people were looking at him or not, their expressionless faces simply stared at him; he felt tears slowly rising in his eyes and his head whipped around to see if he could catch a glimpse of Harvey anywhere.

He finally thought he could spot Louis' mask and and pushed through the crowd, breathing heavily. "Louis!" He managed to reach the man and thwacked into him, clutching desperately.

"Mike?" Louis looked confused - as far as he could tell, from the mask. "What's wrong?"

"Do you know where my Dad is?" Mike croaked.

"Uh, I think he's with Jessica - I think they're still talking to Mr. Anderson. What happened?" Mike shook his head and tried to pull away to find Harvey. "Woah, slow down," Louis grabbed hold of him. "Come on, we'll both go find him."

Mike sniffed and nodded, hiding his face in Louis' side as he had been planning on doing when he found Harvey. "What's wrong, Mike?" Louis asked, searching the vast room for Harvey.

"I don't like the masks!" Mike wailed, wiping his nose slightly on Louis' jacket.

"Oh," Louis nodded as if he understood perfectly and patted his shoulder slightly. "It's okay, they can't hurt you."

"I know!" Mike cried. "I'm not _stupid_!"

"I know you're not," Louis said quickly, frantically searching for Harvey. "You're very clever and you just have an irrational phobia and... you're wiping your nose on my suit," he said indignantly, quickly going silent because of the look Mike gave him. He cast another glance across the sea of people before breathing out in relief. "There he is," Louis pointed out. As soon as Mike caught sight of him he pulled on Louis, trying to reach Harvey as quickly as possible.

When he was finally close, Louis let go of him and sidled up next to Jessica as Mike quickly ran into Harvey, throwing his arms around him and not letting go. "Dad!"

Harvey's eyes widened and he looked over at Louis, having seen him arrive with Mike. "What? Why do you always think I've done something to him, Harvey?" Louis squawked.

"What's wrong?" Harvey asked Mike, rubbing a soothing circle on his back. "Sorry about this, Mr. Anderson."

The man just shook his head, looking amused, before he was simultaneously attacked with a hug. "Daddy!" Gabby buried her face in Anderson's suit.

"What's up, princess?" He asked her, brushing her blonde, Shirley Temple-esque curls to one side so he could see her face.

"We were playing hide n' seek, and we lost our new friend Mike!" She told him, with small nods from Adam and Oscar as back-up behind her.

"Mike?" Harvey looked down. "Were you playing hide and seek?" Mike nodded, sniffing. He just wanted to get out of the room and away from the masks. "Did you hide somewhere you weren't supposed to?" He asked, rolling his eyes. Mike shrugged.

"Mike!" Gabby said happily, finally realising he was there. "Found you! It's my turn now!" Anderson smiled but shushed her, watching with some concern as Harvey managed to pull Mike away from him and knelt so that he was looking up slightly at the boy.

"What's wrong?" He asked, not expecting Mike to glance around and burst into tears, throwing his arms around Harvey's shoulders so that the man couldn't stand up without taking the kid with him.

"I don't like the masks!" He wailed for the second time that night. "Please, Daddy, can we go home? I wanna leave!"

Harvey sighed as he rubbed Mike's back. He almost blamed himself for Mike's current condition. He should have known that he might not like the masks - the kid was scared of clown make up and it was along the same lines, really. "Okay, buddy; we can go. We're going. You need to let go though; I can't carry you out."

Mike sniffed and slowly pulled away, looking at the floor instead. "Mr. Anderson," Harvey said. "It was lovely to meet you, but I'm going to need to leave - my son doesn't like the masks."

"But I liked Mike!" Gabby said, looking heartbroken. "Daddy, you should make _Mike's _daddy your lawyer! I wanna see Mike again!"

Anderson shook his head, chuckling. "Okay, Gabs, okay. Mr Specter - I _would_ like to talk more about what your firm has to offer - even before my little chatterbox interrupted," his eyes sparkled to show he didn't really mind. "Can I drop round during next week?" He asked. "And maybe Gabrielle and Mike can play more?"

"Sounds good," Harvey nodded, running his fingers through Mike's hair to comfort him, eager to leave and help the boy calm down. "Here's my card; you can arrange a time with my assistant," he managed to get a card out from his jacket and gave it to the man, smiling. "Jessica," Harvey nodded at her, before turning to Louis. "Thanks," he said grudgingly. "For helping him find me."

Louis nodded but didn't say anything.

"Okay, Mikey," Harvey said. "Just hold my hand, you don't need to look at the masks, okay? Just look at the floor," Harvey slowly manoeuvred Mike through the building and outside, bundling him into the car.

It wasn't until they were both strapped in and Harvey was starting the engine that Mike finally opened his eyes from where he had squeezed them shut inside. "You're okay," Harvey breathed out, rubbing Mike's cheek with his thumb as his hand cupped the side of his face and the back of his neck. "You're fine."

* * *

><p>Mike slowly changed into his pyjamas when they got back to the condo. As much as he loved his Iron Man pyjamas, Harvey insisted on washing them, so he was in his second favourite pair - Spiderman (okay, third favourite, but Batman was in the wash as well). He crept into the living room as Harvey was pulling off his bow tie and just throwing it into his room, letting it land on the bed with his mask.<p>

"I'm sorry, Dad," Mike said quietly, going over to sit next to the man on the couch. He was holding a squashy triceratops toy he had gotten when he was younger and was hugging it hard.

"What for?" Harvey leant back, turning to face Mike. He smiled at the toy. "I haven't seen Toppy in a while," he said softly, pulling Mike closer so he had his arm around him.

"Just found her," Mike mumbled.

"I think that means we need to tidy your room soon, doesn't it?" Harvey asked, tapping his nose slightly. Mike shrugged and folded inwards, pulling both legs onto the couch and was before long lying sideways, his head on Harvey's lap. "Come on, Mike," Harvey said, patting his arm. "Why are you sorry?"

"I pulled you away from your party," he said in a quiet voice. "I know it was important, I'm sorry. I should've just gone outside or kept quiet - I embarrassed you."

"Hey - you did exactly the right thing," Harvey told him, squeezing his upper arm. "I'm proud that you came to me rather than trying to go outside on your own - and I'd rather you told me if something had upset you."

"But you couldn't do anything about it," Mike whispered, hiding his face in his toy.

"I could get you out of there so you wouldn't be scared anymore," Harvey said. "And don't you _ever _think that I'm embarrassed by you again - you got that?"

"But I made a scene," Mike mumbled, reiterating Donna's favourite phase; e.g, 'Mike, stop *insert appropriate wrong-doing here* you're making a scene!'

"No you didn't, buddy," Harvey soothed him. "No one noticed."

"I did it in front of Mr. Anderson!" Mike argued. "It was really important and I messed it up!"

"Believe it or not, kid," Harvey said, soothingly stroking his hair. "You helped."

"I did?" Mike turned wide, disbelieving eyes up to Harvey.

"Yup," Harvey nodded. "He likes that we seem like a caring firm."

Mike giggled. "You don't like caring."

"And don't you forget it," Harvey gently prodded him in the side, causing the little boy to squirm and giggle. "And look - we managed to get our night together after all. What do you want to do?"

Mike shrugged, looking at the time. "It's late," he frowned. "I have to go to school tomorrow."

"You're more ahead of your class than the teacher is," Harvey said, rolling his eyes. "I doubt missing a day or two will hurt."

"You're letting me cut?" Mike asked, scrambling up in his seat excitedly.

"Only if you come to work with me, and do homework while you're there. Deal?" Harvey never had any doubt that Mike would refuse his offer.

"Deal!" Mike bounced happily. "Can we watch a film?"

"Sure, kiddo," Harvey agreed, letting Mike do all the legwork of choosing a DVD and slotting it in. "You want take-out for dinner?" It was already 9 and their dinner wouldn't get there till about quarter to 10 if they ordered now. Mike would be falling asleep where he stood about an hour after that but that would be fine; Harvey had put him to bed plenty of times before while he was practically comatose - one more time wouldn't make that much difference.

"Daddy, do you wanna watch _The Avengers 2_ or _Iron Man 4_?" Mike asked, looking over at him.

_Please no more superhero films - I will give both legs and an arm for a different film_ - was what Harvey _wanted _to say, but nothing in the world would drag that out of him. "Whichever you want, Mike."

* * *

><p><strong>AN So I'm thinking that these lucky sods in the future already have Avengers 2 and Iron Man 4 :P Hope you enjoyed :)**

**Harvey's mask (ish):  
>www . amasquerade images  products / masks / sole_silver . jpg  
><strong>


	15. New Bedrooms And Old Friends

**Hey guys :D I've been looking forward to writing this one for a while :D And I just want to quickly say now that I've never really decked out a room before so I'm not really going into great detail regarding buying furniture and whatnot so... ignore? Thanks :P And this is a long one, I hope you don't mind ;) **

**Also quick WARNING for some bad language :P**

**And OMIGOD SERIES 2 IS SO AMAZING AND I LOVE EVERYONE SO MUCH AND, AND... YEAH.**

* * *

><p>"I've been thinking," Harvey said one morning, stirring his coffee as he did so.<p>

"Careful," Mike warned, giving a small grin as Harvey rolled his eyes.

"Do you want a real room?"

Mike blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Bedroom, genius - you want one?"

"I've got one."

"You've got a bed in my office," Harvey reminded him. "If you're staying here for the foreseeable future - "

"Not much choice," Mike said through a mouthful of lucky charms. "You're officially responsible for my well-being until I hit 18."

"21," Harvey argued.

"I was being generous," Mike said, pouting. "I was going to say 16."

"Kid, the trouble you get into, I can see me being responsible for your well-being until I kick the bucket."

"That's cheery."

"Anyway," Harvey said, going back to the original subject. "It's Christmas soon and I know that several people are going to buy out half a toy shop for you and there's no room in my office if that happens - so I was thinking we could move everything out and turn it into a bedroom."

"I..." Mike was slightly pink as he thought about it. "I don't need half a toy shop."

Harvey snorted. "Don't lie, kid - just last night you were driving toy cars along the length of my floor."

"I can't help it," Mike mumbled.

"And I've already told you I don't care if you act like a kid," Harvey reminded him. "And now we're going to get dressed and go shopping."

"For what?"

"A bedroom."

* * *

><p>Mike had been living with Harvey for a grand total of four days. He knew it was an incredibly small amount of time, but it had been a <em>good <em>four days. He had been worried that something would have changed since the last time Harvey had looked after him as a toddler, but if anything, Harvey had improved. Whether he had missed it and decided to put 110% effort into looking after him this time or whether _Mike _had missed it and it just seemed _better _because he hadn't had it in a while...

The first night had been... not awkward as such, Mike just wasn't sure what to do. He was now a kid - he had no responsibilities. When he knew it was only for two weeks he savoured not having anything to do; but now with the rest of his life in front of him...

He just aimlessly floated around Harvey's condo - the child mind wanting to play with _everything _but Mike refused to give in.

Harvey had later found him playing dress-up in his wardrobe, with the excuse that he was bored and then added slyly that if Harvey didn't want him doing this, then buying him more toys seemed the obvious solution.

Harvey hadn't bought him any new toys, but he had allowed Donna to take them both shopping to buy him an endless supply of new clothes. She had been delighted when asked for her assistance and had gone in thousands of clothes shops, and Harvey would have regretted his decision to go with them, had it not been for his presence being the reason Mike only got away with _one _onesie.

He had a feeling that had it just been Donna, she would have bought the cutest clothes - it was alright for her, she wasn't the one who had to convince the kid to wear them. As it was, Mike now owned a pair of blue and green footsie pyjamas, 2 pairs of overalls, a pair of mittens, a hat with ears attached and a pacifier (which Harvey had instantly hidden after it sparked a half hour tirade on how Mike was _not _a baby and how he didn't appreciate Donna buying these things and had then sulked for twenty minutes afterwards clutching Harvey-bear).

Thankfully, it was just those select clothes that Mike had decreed he was never wearing - the other hundred or so outfits were stored in Harvey's wardrobe - although Mike had also decided he was never wearing the underwear they had bought; despite Harvey telling him that the only underwear in Mike's size were childish.

Although he couldn't help but smirk when he passed Mike his clothes for the day, knowing that in the bundle there was a pair of Marvel underwear.

When Mike walked back into the kitchen after dressing he pulled himself onto one of the chairs at the table, watching as Harvey jotted down ideas for furniture.

"Harvey, as posh as you want your apartment to look - I _really _don't need a chaise-lounge," Mike told him, reading the list upside down.

Harvey looked up. "It would bring class to the room."

"I really don't need a classy room," Mike informed him. "What else do you think I 'need'?"

"Is there any chance you want a four-poster bed?" Harvey asked, looking like this was an honest-to-god possibility.

"Uh... I think you should call Donna," Mike advised him.

Harvey nodded wearily.

* * *

><p>"Okay, kid," Harvey said when they were in the large hardware store, "I need to know what colour you want your room so the furniture'll match."<p>

Mike's eyes widened. "You're seriously trying to colour-coordinate a three year old's room?"

"I wouldn't care if it was a normal three year old," Harvey sniped as he slowly pushed the large shopping cart down the aisles, with Mike sat in the seat. "But you have a lot more say than is appropriate."

"I think I'm supposed to be offended by that."

"Just pick a colour."

They got to the paint aisle and Mike gazed around, slightly dazed by the amount of colours to choose from. "I wish you'd asked me to decide before we got here," he muttered. "You really think I'm going to be able to choose in two minutes?"

"Well I'll help you out," Harvey said, glancing around. "I'm not having pink, purple, orange, yellow, red or brown."

"So you're basically telling me to get a normal little kid blue or green then," Mike said, rolling eyes.

"I just don't think the other's will go with the rest of my apartment."

"It's _my _room!" Mike argued.

"Oh, you wanted pink?" Harvey asked, smirking.

"Fine," Mike huffed, glancing at the shelves. "I want blue. Please."

Harvey nodded approvingly and pushed the cart over to the blues. "Which shade?"

"Oh my god there are different _types_?" Mike groaned. "Uh..." he scoured the shades. "I can't decide between 'Blue Lagoon' or 'First Dawn'. I swear lagoons aren't really that colour."

Harvey picked up 'First Dawn' and placed several tins in the cart. "This one's lighter - 'Blue Lagoon' will be too dark."

"What if I _want _dark?" Mike asked, pouting. Harvey glanced down at him and pretty soon Mike stopped; he knew that Harvey had been worried because he'd been acting somewhat depressed lately - now sometimes if he said something that could be taken in that way, Harvey would freak out slightly. "It's a really baby blue," Mike whined. "I'm not a baby."

"Mike - for the one thousandth time," Harvey said patiently, "I know you're not a baby. Tell me where it says on the tin 'for babies'." He waited a few seconds before nodding. "That's what I thought."

They turned into a different aisle and walked down the light fittings. Harvey saw Mike's eyes widen and he gazed slightly wistfully as they passed a shade that was yellow, and in the shape of a star. He waited but - not really to his surprise - Mike didn't ask for it.

"I thought we could maybe have a light on the wall," Harvey said casually. "As well as the main ceiling light - just something to have on in the evening so I'm not reading to you by nightlight. You want to choose one for the wall?"

Mike blushed and shook his head, looking down at his hands. Harvey sighed, ruffling Mike's hair slightly and rubbing his thumb over the tufts of blonde on his forehead before grabbing the star light that Mike had been eyeing. There was no argument, so he just shook his head, grinning slightly.

"I was thinking white wood for the furniture," Harvey said as they got to a different aisle. The store he'd chosen seemed to house anything you could possibly want to furnish your home; they had ready-to-make wardrobes, beds - it seemed endless.

"My bed's not white," Mike reminded him.

Harvey waved his hand. "We'll get a new one."

Mike's eyes widened for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. "This is too much money, Harvey, I - "

"What did you say this morning?" Harvey asked him. "That I'm responsible your well-being? That's what I'm being. So be quiet."

Mike bit his lip but fell silent. "Plain wood's _boring_," Mike whined as Harvey looked at various wardrobes and toy boxes.

"Nick was thinking of coming over and painting one," Harvey told him.

Mike gasped. "Really? When? Is he doing it soon? Can I help?" Harvey laughed slightly and shook his head. Mike seemed to adore Nick and Nick too, was more than happy to step into the, as he decreed it, 'awesome uncle role'.

"I'll call him tonight and we'll arrange a time. Speaking of tonight - "

"I don't want a bath!"

"Did I say you were getting one?"

"You implied it."

"No I didn't."

"What's happening tonight?"

"I was merely going to suggest that we start moving furniture out of your room to make it easier to paint."

"Oh. Well I hope you have fun."

"I'm not doing it on my own."

"Harvey, I can barely reach the toilet seat on my own," Mike reminded him, as Harvey hauled the boxes for a wardrobe and toy box into the large cart. "I'm not going to be much help in moving a bookshelf."

"I'll find something for you to do."

Mike understood this as Harvey trying to help him retain independence, and found he didn't want to protest - he genuinely wanted to help move furniture; or do anything else he could have done before.

"Curtains," Harvey said, after finding a plain white curtain rail and adding it to the cart. "What do you want?"

Mike gazed about the material, realising he'd have longed for these kinds of materials and patterns when he really was a kid. He spotted a deep blue material with stars and moons on it and bit his lip. He liked the design - he realised now that he really wanted things with stars on; whether he was already developing a little kid obsession with something and had chosen astronomy or whether he just liked the idea of stars; something that could mean any number of things depending on how you analysed it.

Whether he secretly still held the idea that there was a possibility his parents were looking down on him from the stars, or because he liked to dream big, or liked that they lit even the night sky and there was never any true darkness... He just liked them.

"Mike?"

Mike bit his lip and pointed shyly up to the starry pattern. "Can I have that one?"

Harvey found what he was looking at and smiled, wondering why Mike seemed to be wanting starry things but nodded, choosing it and adding it to the cart.

"I think that's all we need," Harvey glanced down the list he had made on the disheartening hour long phone conversation he had with Donna (disheartening in that he realised this would just be the first of many instances that he would have to spend a lot of money on Mike's behalf). He could tell that she had been rolling her eyes a lot at his questions - how was he to know that he wouldn't need to buy a changing table?

She had sneakily suggested a playpen for those time he needed to work and not be disturbed - he didn't really want to buy one with Mike in the vicinity so he decided if he did want one, he would buy it when Mike wasn't there.

They were making their way slowly to check-out (slowly because Harvey wanted to be certain he hadn't missed anything out) when they passed down an aisle that had various arts and crafts things down it. Mike looked around, before noticing a pack of 100 glow in the dark stars that could be easily stuck to a ceiling. He glanced over at Harvey and thought hard - he hadn't so far laughed at any of the choices Mike had made, so surely he wouldn't mind now?

"Harvey," he whispered, pulling at his arm. Harvey looked down and then followed Mike's eye line to the stars.

"I see it," Harvey assured him, reaching to the shelf and putting them in the cart.

Mike flushed slightly but gave Harvey a small, warm smile. "Thanks, Harvey," he said quietly.

"It's fine," Harvey replied. "It's your room."

They were close to the check-out when Harvey got another pull on his sleeve. He looked down to see that Mike was blushing once more, and fidgeting awkwardly. "What, Mike?"

Mike opened his mouth, before closing it again. He bit his lip before taking a deep breath and mumbling to his lap.

"What?" Harvey hadn't caught a word of it.

"Ineedtousethebathroom," he said in a rush, looking up to finally meet Harvey's eyes.

"Oh," Harvey looked around, spotting the toilets near the exit. "Can you go over there while I pay?" He was already grasping Mike underneath the armpits to lift him out of the cart as he said this, placing him on the ground. "Go on - scoot," Mike looked over to the toilets and nodded. "Wait by the door when you come out if you can't see me," Harvey instructed.

He watched Mike go - not exactly running but not really taking it slow. Harvey rolled his eyes - he hadn't exactly researched that side of three year-old's but it was clear that Mike was already toilet-trained - apart from at night, as now Harvey had to keep a cupboard in the bathroom constantly stocked with pull-ups.

Making a note to double-check that three year-old's should definitely already be using the toilet he found a check-out aisle close to the toilets.

Which was good, because as soon as he lifted the first item onto the belt, there was a desperate hand tugging on his pants, just under his hip. Harvey looked down to see Mike stood there, still bright red.

"That was quick," Harvey remarked, turning to lift the next box onto the belt.

"I couldn't reach the toilet," Mike murmured despondently, looking around - still in the frame of mind that if someone heard this they would be scandalised and seeing a 25 year old man rather than a three year old boy. He wiggled slightly to further drive home the point that he now had a small bladder and a lot less control over it than both he or Harvey would have liked.

"Oh," Harvey replied succinctly. He wasn't really sure what to do; but eyeing Mike's movement, he realised he would need to something pretty soon. "Okay - excuse me?" He said politely to the girl sat at the check-out. "I don't suppose you could check out the rest of my items, could you?" He swept his hands back towards his cart. "I need to take my kid to the bathroom."

"Har-_vee_," Mike whimpered, tugging at him desperately.

Harvey flashed a winning smile to the girl, hoping she would do as he asked and grabbed Mike's hand, quickly leading him into the bathroom to the toilet stalls. The toilets _were _quite high - although Harvey noted they were only slightly taller than their one at home.

"So are you excited for a new room?" Harvey asked, trying to keep Mike's attention away from the fact that he was tugging down his pants and lifting him onto the seat. Although Mike didn't even seem to care much at this point, as desperate as he had been.

Harvey had turned and pretended to be checking out his hair in the mirror. "You know Donna's thinking of coming and helping set the room up," he said conversationally, breathing out slightly as he heard the toilet flush and Mike skittered out to wash his hands - again having to be lifted up to reach the tap.

"I can't wait," Mike said in response to his earlier question, still slightly pink from what had just happened. "Can I put my glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling?"

Harvey shrugged as they made their way back out to the check-out. "I don't see why not."

"I scanned all of your items and bagged them and put them back in your cart," the girl said, smiling at Harvey.

"You are a goddess - Lizzie," he added as he looked at her name tag, getting his card out to pay for their shopping. Mike tutted and rolled his eyes at the compliment, which made Harvey smirk slightly. After he had paid he grabbed the cart and instructed Mike to hold onto it as they left.

"Bye," Lizzie said cheerfully.

"Goodbye," Harvey said back, smiling charmingly, before looking down at Mike, his eyes twinkling. "Say bye to the nice woman, Mikey - she helped out while you needed to potty."

"I will kill you and everyone you're related to," Mike growled, shooting daggers at him before gritting his teeth and smiling at Lizzie. "Bye."

"Aren't you the cutest!" She cooed, waving them out the store.

As soon as Mike was strapped in to his seat in the car he start hurling abuse at Harvey. He was soon silenced though, when Harvey said: "So how do you reach the toilet in the apartment?"

He glanced in the rear-view mirror to see Mike was sulking, his arms crossed and his lip sticking out and decided to let him off the hook.

It didn't stop him deciding to ask Donna to buy a step for their toilet - just in case.

* * *

><p>"What do you think, kid?" Harvey asked, after they had painted the entirety of the room. "How's it look?"<p>

Mike had been allowed to paint, but soon stopped when he and Nick got into a paint fight. Harvey was already dreading the bath and the amount of washing it would take to get the blue out of Mike's hair.

The toddler grinned however, gazing around the room that was now much larger than he was used to now that the bookcases, desk and bed were all out of there. There was a large window on one side that Mike hadn't even really looked at before that the desk had been in front of and decided he didn't want anything in front of it. Harvey put up the curtains and put the star light on the wall above Mike's bed.

Mike had no idea that Harvey was so good at DIY, and had honestly expected he would call someone in to do it.

"Harv, when can I paint this toybox?" Nick asked, stretching slightly from his supine position on Harvey's floor.

"If you help put it up, you can paint it," Harvey informed him, nudging his side slightly with his foot, making Nick squirm away.

"You really want _me _to help with anything DIY related?" Nick asked him, the look on his face showing all too clearly what he thought of this plan.

"You managed the paint without any problems," Harvey pointed out, rolling his eyes.

"But there'll be nails and hammers._ Hammers_, Harvey!"

"Stop being so dramatic. You've hit yourself with a hammer _twice_. And you only caught yourself on a nail once."

"I'll help," Mike offered, pulling on Harvey's pants. "I wanna help!"

"Sure, kid," Harvey said, passing him the instructions. "Have at it."

Mike sat down and opened the wide pamphlet out, before quickly giving up, not being able to make heads nor tail of it. Harvey smirked and ruffled his hair. "I didn't think so. Okay - you two keep out of my way and I'll put it up."

"You wusses," all three turned around to see Donna stood in the doorway, wearing old clothes with her hair scraped back in a pony-tail.

"I'm not a wuss!" Mike argued, pouting. "I'm just too stupidly little to do anything."

"Hey, no you're not," Harvey quickly comforted, not really wanting a tantrum so early in the evening. "Donna, I'm gonna need some help putting this box and wardrobe together. _Someone __isn't _too little but he wouldn't be as much help as he would like, and _someone else _is a wuss."

"Guilty," Nick raised his hand. "Hey, Donna."

"Nicholas," she greeted him. "Okay - keep Mike out of trouble while me and Harvey do the _manly _work."

Nick tutted but suddenly felt Mike sitting on him, legs astride his stomach. "Hey, squirt. What are you doing?"

"I need somewhere to sit," Mike told him, motioning to the couch that was currently housing most of Mike's possessions while they were moving things.

"So sitting on me is the best place?"

"You're comfy."

"Really? Thanks," Nick genuinely looked quite proud of this and they stayed in their positions, chatting softly and ignoring the thumps, bangs and drill sounds resonating in the room opposite. Eventually, Nick felt Mike suddenly being lifted off his stomach and he saw Harvey stood by him, looking exhausted but satisfied.

"Finished?" Nick asked, jumping up from his position.

"No thanks to you," Harvey said, jogging Mike into a more comfortable position on his hip and walking into his room. "What do you think, kid?" He asked, watching Mike for his reaction.

Mike gasped in delight. "It's amazing!" He struggled to get down and ran over to the toy box, opening it and grinning at the amount of space. He then went to the wardrobe, opening the doors and pulling all of the drawers out. "Thank you, Harvey," he said sincerely, gazing around the room. "I love it."

"Good - you and Nick can paint the toy box tomorrow," Harvey told him.

"What?" Both Nick and Mike pouted.

"I wanted to do it _now_!" Mike whined.

"I came round for the sole purpose of doing that, Harvey!" Nick also whined. "My whole evening's been wasted!"

"Oh don't start," Donna said, rolling her eyes. "You had a lovely time hanging out with your brother and nephew. And - " she was stopped when a sudden camera flash nearly blinded her.

"That was a nice shot," Nick told her, looking at the screen on his camera. "Showed your anger really well."

Donna glared at him, knowing she had been stood with her hands on her hips, pointing her finger at Nick. "Harvey, I'm about to kill your brother."

"Make sure you do it in Mike's room, I haven't taken up any of the sheets off the floor yet, so it'll be easy to clean."

Both Mike and Nick pouted again, and Harvey rolled his eyes.

"Okay, kids - how about you put all your toys away before bedtime, while me and Mom have a drink," he suggested, going to get a couple of glasses from a cabinet and handing one to Donna.

"But Har-vee," Nick whined.

"You know if you act like Mike, I could easily arrange the same kind of punishment," Harvey said, leaning back against a counter top and surveying Nick over the brim of his glass.

"What kind of punishment?" Nick asked, glancing over at Mike who was hurriedly moving to store his possessions in his new bedroom so he wouldn't have to answer the question (or actually sit in the corner to _show _the kind of punishment Harvey was talking about). Nick sighed but decided the least he could do was help Mike move his stuff back in.

Soon, Harvey started to move Mike's clothes as well; by this point it was fairly late in the evening and Mike had already been cajoled into a pull-up and his pyjamas. He sat on his new bed (which was in a different position) and looked around the room, watching Harvey stack clothes in his new wardrobe, lit by the star light on his wall. He glanced up to look at the stars on his ceiling and smiled slightly at the sight.

"Ready to go to bed, Mike?" He looked back at Harvey, who was just closing the wardrobe doors. Mike shuffled and bit his lip, making Harvey roll his eyes but reopen the doors, allowing Mike a look inside. "No monsters, kiddo," he assured the toddler.

Mike nodded and slid down in his bed, letting Harvey effectively tuck him in - even though the man would later deny that that was what he was doing. Mike knew he was tired, but it just felt weird going to sleep somewhere that felt like a new place. The whole room was different; it didn't even feel like Harvey's condo anymore.

He quickly grabbed H.B from the side of his pillow and hugged him tightly, hoping that might alleviate the feeling of being in a strange environment. "I'll see you in the morning, kid," Harvey said in a hushed voice, ruffling his hair. He waited until Mike had wriggled down and laid his head on the pillow, closing his eyes, before leaving.

The bedroom door was closed, but the star light that had been left on was banishing any fears of the dark that Mike may have had.

It still felt weird though.

He wasn't sure if it was the new paint smell still slightly lingering, or the brand new bed, sheets stiff and starched and not as comfortable as they were usually, but he just couldn't sleep. He fidgeted for a while and after about half an hour he decided that the weird feeling wasn't going away.

He needed to be somewhere familiar - somewhere safe.

He creaked his door open and kept a tight hold of H.B as he slunk into the main living area.

"You bought the kid a pacifier?" Nick asked, looking confused.

"Yeah. So?" Donna replied, looking defensive.

"I thought kids were supposed to be rid of them by like, one?" Nick said.

"Yeah, most kids," Harvey said, smirking. "I remember Mom still trying to convince you at five that if you left out your pacifiers on Christmas Eve, Santa would take them for the baby elves and in exchange leave you an extra present."

Nick flushed as Donna laughed, but managed to quickly take the attention off himself. "Mike," he said, spotting the kid and looking surprised. "What's up?"

Donna and Harvey also turned to see the small boy coming towards them shyly, holding his teddy.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Donna asked, not very surprised when Mike just went over to Harvey, climbing onto his lap and letting his head rest against his chest, instantly feeling more sleepy than he had in his room.

Harvey started to rub his back soothingly. "Why aren't you in bed?" He asked, moving Mike slightly so that he wouldn't drop his bear on the floor.

"Don't like it," he murmured. "'S'not the same."

"I thought you liked your room," Harvey said, looking slightly panicked. If Mike couldn't sleep in his room, they would have problems.

"'S'not familiar yet," Mike whispered. "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

Harvey sighed and moved Mike so that his chin was resting on Harvey's shoulder, looking behind him - H.B crushed between them. "No, kiddo - you need to learn to sleep on your own."

"But my room's _different_," Mike said, and Harvey could tell if he didn't do something soon, there would be tears.

"Well how about we all go back in there for a while," Harvey suggested, looking at Donna and Nick, who both nodded. "Hm? Just for a bit."

He slowly stood up, rocking Mike gently as he waited for the other two to stand as well. They all went into Mike's room, but Harvey motioned for the light to stay turned off, and they were all only lit by the star light above Mike's bed.

Harvey managed to settle the toddler in bed and perched on the side, as Nick took a seat on the floor next to the bed, and Donna pulled over a blue beanbag that Harvey had bought and sat down elegantly.

"Can I... Could you maybe... Will you..." Mike looked down, trailing off from his request.

"Will I what, kid?" Harvey asked, sitting so that he could easily stroke Mike's hair.

"Will you tell me a story?" Mike whispered, a furious blush over his cheeks.

"Uh..." Nick and Donna were looking at him expectantly. "I don't know where we put your books."

"No, can you... will you _tell _me one?" Mike asked, already looking like he'd braced himself for Harvey to say no.

"As in make one up," Nick clarified.

"I don't know any stories," Harvey said, trying to remember where they'd put Mike's books - he could deal with reading aloud in front of people; not so much when the thoughts were his own. He wasn't really the best at creative thinking; not for children's stories at least.

"Yes you do," Nick said, nudging Harvey's thigh with the top of his head from his position on the floor, letting his head loll against the bed, close to Harvey's legs. "You used to tell me stories all the time."

Seeing he was in a corner, Harvey sighed and nodded his head, closing his eyes as he tried to think. "Okay. Mike, lie down," Mike dutifully laid down, resting his head on the pillow. "Close your eyes."

Mike did so, sneakily trying to suck his thumb in a position that Harvey wouldn't see and pull it back out. Harvey pretended not to see it and kept running his fingers through Mike's hair.

"Okay. Uh... once upon a time...? There was..."

"No," Mike struggled up to pull at Harvey's hand. "You're doing it wrong."

"Oh?" Harvey questioned.

"You're questioning yourself in the opening sentence," Donna chipped in.

"And I'm bored already," Nick piped up.

"Well why doesn't someone else tell it then?" Harvey asked, disgruntled.

"Because Mike wants _you _to tell it," Donna said. The little boy blushed but gazed up at Harvey when he looked down.

"Okay - lie back down, kid," Mike did as he asked. "Right. Once upon a time, there was a group of robbers. They were all gathered together by a man called Joe. They didn't know each other, and he insisted they used code names that were colours. Their heist was a jewellery store - they were going to steal some diamonds, and - "

"Wait, wait, wait," Mike sat up again. "That's _Reservoir Dogs_!"

"So?"

"Harvey!"

"Okay," Harvey pushed him back down once more. "Okay. Once upon a time, 3 people went missing. Two FBI agents were sent in to look for them. They had to be careful though, as a gang of people who dressed up like ghosts didn't want them looking around or talking to anyone in the town. So they - "

"Now you're doing _Mississippi Burning_!" Mike complained, tugging at his arm.

"Jeeze, Harv - unoriginal much?" Nick said, smirking as Harvey rolled his eyes. "Just make up a story - it's not hard. Look, I'll start you off. Once upon a time, there was a large castle in the middle of a forest. The people who lived there were scared of leaving," he lowered his voice slightly, and Mike held onto H.B that little bit tighter.

"Why were they scared?" Mike asked.

"They were told there was a monster, out in the woods," Nick said, grinning impishly at Mike. "And that if they ever left the castle and ventured too far out into the woods, they would be found and eaten - or worse..."

"What's worse than eaten?" Mike mumbled.

"They'd heard rumours of people being taken prisoners by the monster," Donna chipped in, "and were told about bodies swinging from trees, screams from the deepest, darkest of the wood - organs being cut out and left in nearby farms and villages, intestines that were - "

"So the King who lived in the castle decided to organise a search party," Harvey hastily stepped in, seeing Mike squeezing H.B, scared of whatever it was he was imagining at Donna's words. "And he got the bravest knights in the castle together and told them to go out in the woods and find the monster."

"To kill it?" Mike asked, his voice quiet.

"You'll have to wait and see," Harvey said, shushing him. "So the knights left the castle early the next morning, before the sun had properly risen. They walked through the forest for what seemed like ages - finally they came across a clearing and decided to rest for a while..."

Harvey kept talking, bringing in small pieces of plot from other things, but didn't really think Mike cared anymore; he was completely immersed in the story and was close to sleeping. Harvey occasionally glanced at his watch and was surprised to see that he had been talking for about half an hour. He added in different obstacles - trolls finding the knights, the knights coming across mermaids and then eating some lotus leaves and not wanting to leave.

Mike didn't even point out he was soon just using _The Odyssey _except their endgame was to find this monster, rather than get back to Ithaca, as Odysseus' had been.

Finally, after nearly 45 minutes, the knights found the monster, caught it and brought it back to the castle. There was a large feast and the monster was locked in the dungeons.

"...The end," Harvey looked down and Mike was asleep, sucking his thumb and looking like not even a fire alarm would wake him up. He realised that partway through the story, his leg had gone completely numb. "Nicky, you're squashing my leg," he muttered, moving it. As he did, Nick's head simply rolled onto the bed, out like a light.

Harvey rolled his eyes and looked over at Donna - who was surprisingly not asleep, and was smiling instead. "Nice story," she grinned.

"Well it got him to sleep," Harvey defended his epic. He thought for a second before ultimately nudging Nick. "Wake up, Nicky," he murmured - surprising Donna by being very gentle and waiting until Nick blinked and looked up blearily before getting off the bed and heaving him up, offering Donna a hand up as well.

"Go sleep on the couch," Harvey instructed Nick quietly, glancing over to make sure Mike wouldn't wake. Nick simply nodded and when Donna and Harvey left Mike's room, Nick was asleep again, curled up on the couch.

"Do you want to stay?" Harvey asked Donna. "Or will you be okay getting back?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"Right," he smiled. "Of course."

"Good night, Harvey," she said, leaving the apartment.

"Night," he replied, dragging a blanket over Nick before going to bed himself.

* * *

><p>"You sure you'll be okay?" Harvey asked as he put his jacket on. He had to go into the firm for a meeting with all the partners and wasn't sure how long it would stretch out for, so he had asked Nick to babysit.<p>

"Harvey, come on," Nick rolled his eyes. "We'll be fine - we'll paint this box, have some dinner, go to bed - what's hard about that?"

Harvey gave him a look but said nothing, yelling a goodbye to Mike, who was in his room. The small boy quickly ran out however, but stopped himself from running at Harvey's legs - instead just holding onto Nick's and waving at him. Harvey left, and soon Nick grinned.

"Okay - you have any idea what you want to paint on this thing?" Nick asked, kneeling in front of the toy box and thinking.

"Not really," Mike shrugged. "I don't really... What would you put on it?"

"It's not my box," Nick reminded him.

"But I don't know what I want on it," Mike pouted.

"Okay - what about... he glanced around the room. "You like stars. Stars and a moon? I could paint some constellations on it."

"You know some constellations?" Mike asked, clambering onto Nick's lap to gaze up at him adoringly to show his appreciation for having the coolest Uncle ever.

"Well, yeah - I didn't go to law school but that doesn't mean I'm not smart," Nick said, sticking his tongue out before grabbing some dark blue paint and deciding to paint the lid with the night's sky. Mike just watched, happy to be the helper, and only really did anything when Nick needed something. "Pass me that pot of water, Mikey."

Mike did so, before passing him the glittering silver paint (and he had no idea where Nick had bought the variety of colours from) and watched, mesmerised as the lid of his new toy box was soon covered in the milky way, and various constellations that Nick pointed out and named for him.

"Now, what do you want on the sides?" Nick asked him, looking pleased at his job so far. "More stars? Dragons? Dinosaurs? Uh... whales?"

"Whales?" Mike questioned.

"There's nothing wrong with whales," Nick defended, pointing his paintbrush at Mike.

"I guess," Mike shrugged. "But, uh... Dragons sound good," he admitted, blushing slightly.

"Awesome," Nick said with relish, rolling his sleeves up. "Okay, munchkin - stand back; I'm going to paint you the best damn dragon you've ever seen."

"Can I help?" Mike ventured.

"Sure," Nick said easily, passing him a paintbrush. "I'll do the outline and you can colour in. Sound good?" Mike nodded hastily and they worked in silence for nearly half an hour. They stood back when they finished, looking very pleased with themselves. Nick decided he needed to shade the dragons and added bits when Mike had finished painting, and they both agreed it looked amazing.

"Okay, kiddo - I think this definitely calls for a bath," Nick informed him, smirking at the paint on his face.

"I don't want a bath," Mike mumbled.

"Tough," Nick said, drawing the word out to have two syllables with a sing-song tone. "You need one. I'll let you stay up late if you have one..." He knew Harvey was either diplomatic or firm, but Nick decided that in his job as Uncle, he could just bribe the kid - it was his job to spoil him, wasn't it?

Mike was considering this, and finally nodded, consenting to a quick bath before they both ate sitting on the couch (Nick quickly swept any fallen crumbs underneath the rug).

"I think it's bedtime," Nick said as he watched Mike almost face plant off the couch.

"'M'not... tired," he mumbled.

"Yeah, and I'm not banned from the Tribeca Film Festival," Nick snorted. "Which is a story for another time," he added, tapping Mike's nose when he looked up blearily, curious. He picked Mike up and took him to his room.

"When's Harvey coming back?" He mumbled as he was settled down in bed.

"Soon," Nick soothed him. "Go to sleep, butt-munch," he said fondly. "Do I need to tell a story or something?"

"Can you tell stories?" Mike asked, his words slurring.

"I'm multi-talented!" Nick argued. "I'm like, a triple-threat - I can take pictures, I can paint and I can dance!"

"You can dance?" Mike mumbled, his eyes already closing.

"Best dancer you ever seen," Nick boasted. "But I don't think doing the shuffle right now will help you sleep. I can sing a folk song? Irish ballad? Russian drinking song?"

Mike had already fallen asleep.

"Oh," Nick realised his audience wouldn't care what he did. "Night, squirt."

He left the star light on and pulled the door to a close, sitting down on the couch and hoping he could find a good horror film to tide him over before Harvey got back.

He was halfway through _The Shining _when there was sudden banging on the front door. It caused him to jump before cursing, pausing the film and getting up. He was nearly at the door before someone started yelling.

"Hey, Specter! Open up, you son of a bitch! It's Trevor!"

Nick froze, now creeping towards the door.

"Hey, answer the door! I know you know where Mike is! Tell me!"

This was about Mike?

"I called him and didn't get a reply - his landlord hasn't seen him; his lease was stopped through email - Jenny hasn't heard from him - what have you done to him?"

Nick chewed on his lip. Clearly this guy knew Mike well, but if he hadn't been told what had happened - there was a reason.

"You think just because you've locked your door I can't get in?"

Nick's eyes widened and he flew to Harvey's room, grabbing his baseball bat and also his own cell phone. He looked through the spy-hole on the door to see and angry guy, slightly taller and bulkier than himself and could also smell alcohol. He saw Trevor step back, as if to ram the door.

"Don't even try it, man!" Nick called out.

"What? Who the fuck are you?"

"Look, I think you should leave," Nick yelled, trying to keep his voice from wavering. "Harvey's not here!"

"Whoever you are, get out here and face me!" Trevor yelled, clearly drunk.

"I don't want trouble, dude!" Nick shouted. "But I have a bat and I'm gonna call the cops if you don't leave now!"

"Coward!" Trevor yelled, and there was a definite thud against the door. "Tell me where Mike is!"

"I don't know who you're talking about!" Nick yelled back, holding the bat in front of him, even though the door was closed and locked (he'd double-checked as Trevor had been shouting).

"I'll come back!" Trevor vowed. "I know Specter knows where Mike is!"

Nick breathed out shakily as Trevor's voice seemed further away, and his footsteps were retreating down the hallway. Nick quickly checked and saw the man disappear down the corridor. He slowly went to Mike's room, shaking, and curled up on the bed, pulling Mike onto his lap; pulling the duvet with him.

"Daddy?" Mike's voice was slurred and barely audible, and he had thankfully not been fully woken up by the yelling and banging.

"Just Uncle Nick," Nick replied, trying to stop his hands shaking as he ran them through Mike's hair. "Go back to sleep, Mikey..." Mike immediately did so and Nick dialled a speed dial on his phone.

He waited for a while before Harvey finally answered.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey, Harv," Nick said, breathing out in relief at the familiar voice.

_"Nick? Is everything alright?"_

"Uh... Could you maybe speed your meeting up?" Nick asked, shifting on the bed slightly.

_"Why? What's happened?__"_

"This... this guy came to the door, started banging on it and asking where Mike was. I think he was going to try and break it down - or find some other way to get in. It sounds like he knows you, Harv - he said he was called Trevor."

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the phone. _"Are you okay? Has he gone? Dammit, I'm coming back now - keep talking to me."_

There were the sounds of him quickly making his apologies to Jessica and suddenly he was in silence - clearly having left any other people in the area. "I'm fine; so's Mike," Nick told him. "He left, but I had to threaten him with a bat and call the cops."

_"You opened the door?"_

"No! I'm not _stupid_, Harvey! I kept it shut and locked, but... I dunno, I'm just... I'm a bit freaked."

_"Don't worry, Nicky," _Harvey said soothingly, even though Nick could practically hear his jaw working into a frown. _"I'm coming back - I'll be back soon. Did he say anything else?"_

Nick paused, trying to remember what Trevor had said. "He said stuff about wanting to know where Mike was - he said someone called Jenny hasn't heard from him, and neither has his landlord - he thinks you've done something to him."

_"Of course he does," _Harvey grumbled poisonously. _"Will you be okay till I get back?"_

"Sure I will," Nick said, giving off a false air of confidence and bravado. "I've got your baseball bat and if all else fails I'm really good at pleading for my life."

_"Don't even joke about that," _Harvey growled.

"Sorry," Nick said quietly. "Just... hurry back, alright?"

_"I'll see you soon," _Harvey promised, hanging up. Nick sighed and closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the wall as he held Mike to him. He couldn't relax however; he was constantly on edge and expecting another bang on the door.

The door rattled as it unlocked and Nick's eyes widened - what if Trevor knew how to pick locks? What if he was being sneaky this time? What if -

"Nicky, you alright?"

He breathed out and seemed to crumple in relief as Harvey appeared in the doorway.

"I'm good," he whispered, not wanting to wake Mike up. "Just rattled."

Harvey carefully extracted Mike from Nick's arms and let Nick get off the bed so he could lie the kid back down.

"Who's Trevor, Harv?" Nick asked quietly. "What does he want with Mike?"

Harvey paused, before rocking Mike slightly, running his hand over the back of his head several time and patting his back before eventually putting him back down. "He used to be friends with Mike," he informed Nick quietly. "He's a scumbag. It was his fault that Mike got kicked out of school, that he started on pot... And every time he showed up there was just more crap going that kid's way. Mike spent all of his savings posting the bastard's bail."

"Wow, friend of the year," Nick said, his eyebrow raised. "Is he uh... is he dangerous?"

Harvey's eyes flashed darkly but he didn't answer. They spent five minutes in silence and Nick watched as Harvey simply watched Mike sleep, as if making sure the chest gently rising and falling was real and not a mirage - that Trevor wouldn't get to this kid and hurt him.

Eventually, Harvey stood up and steered Nick out of the room. "I don't want you going back tonight," he told him in a non-negotiable tone.

"Harv, he's not going to be waiting outside!" Nick argued. "If he was he'd have jumped you when you came in!"

"I don't want you biking home when he could be watching," Harvey insisted. "You're staying here."

Nick rolled his eyes and made his way to the door.

"Nicholas Rembrandt Specter!"

Nick turned. "Did you just full-name me, Harvey Victor Specter?"

"See, mine loses some of the anger because I have a normal middle name," Harvey pointed out. "_You _were unfortunate enough to be born when Mom was going through a Baroque obsession. _I _was born when she liked Dad."

"Don't be a dick," Nick muttered, but headed towards the couch. "You were an accident and you know it."

"8 year age difference, Nicky," Harvey pointed out. "Who was the accident?"

"They love me more."

"Oh shut up."

"See, Mike's lucky - he doesn't have to fight for his parent's love."

"Stop being dramatic. He's lucky in that he doesn't have a pain-in-the-ass little brother."

"Asshole."

"Brat."

"Douche."

"Are we done?" Harvey asked tiredly.

Nick paused to think before shrugging. "Yeah I guess. What are you going to do about Trevor? You going to tell Mike?"

Harvey breathed out. "I don't know. I'll call security - I want to know _how _he got up here in the first place. I'll ask Vanessa to keep and eye on him and see if he comes anywhere near here or the firm. Did you tell him you were my brother?"

"Yeah, right after I sent him a friend request on Facebook," Nick rolled his eyes. "I just told him you weren't here. _Will _you tell Mike? It's his life - his friend. Doesn't he deserve to know?"

Harvey was silent.

Should he tell Mike?

It _was _his life; he needed to be allowed to make these decisions.

But then again, he was only 3. Maybe just in body and only slightly in mind, but at the same time he could easily slip into a 3 year old mindset - and his emotions... would he be able to handle it?

"I'm not going to tell him," Harvey told Nick. "He doesn't need to know. He still thinks that Trevor's gone to Montana."

"What about this Jenny girl? If she's asking questions..."

"I'll tell her what I'm going to tell Trevor," Harvey said. "That Mike was hit by a car. It was sad, there wasn't a funeral, they can start getting over it."

"That's not right," Nick said, frowning.

"What else can I do, Nicky?" Harvey asked. "I can't tell them, 'Oh Mike's fine, in fact, he's upstairs, go see him - quiet though, it's naptime'."

"Maybe not that Trevor guy, but this Jenny? Maybe you should ask Mike."

Harvey shrugged. "I'll decide in the morning."

He got up and called security, telling them to be on the lookout for Trevor. He then called Vanessa and finally a cop who owed him several favours.

It still didn't stop him sleeping in Mike's bed that night, holding the sleeping toddler to his chest, as if terrified he would be taken away from him.

* * *

><p>The phone call came through at about half past ten that morning. Mike was still in his pyjamas and quite happy to find that Nick was still there on the morning. After the man was dragged into his room to play, Harvey had a shower, pulling on his shirt when his phone went off.<p>

"Hello?"

_"Harvey, it's Vanessa." _

"Hey," he couldn't help but smile slightly after hearing her voice. "Got anything for me?"

_"Oh boy, do I," _she muttered, causing Harvey's stomach to twist. _"Your guy was arrested last night for a DUI. They're keeping it hushed 'cause he stole a police car to do it - so your cop buddy's not gonna find out probably."_

"Any chance he needs a lawyer?" Harvey asked, a smile appearing on his face.

_"I'm sure he'd love to have Harvey Specter represent him," _Vanessa said wryly. _"Oh, and I've been meaning to ask - how's parenthood suiting you?"_

Harvey smiled. "It's good. I'll talk to you later."

He put the phone down. "Nick!" He called. "I need to go out for a while!"

* * *

><p>He got to the prison and was allowed entrance into the interview room.<p>

"I don't know why you're bothering defending this guy," the guard told him. "We got a dozen witnesses, evidence - he's not getting out of this."

"Oh I'm not defending him," Harvey smiled at the guard, who subsequently thawed in his behaviour to him. Harvey was shown into the room and sat, waiting for Trevor to be brought out. The man did a double take when he saw who was sat there.

"What - why are you here?"

"I heard you wanted to talk to me last night," Harvey said, keeping his voice low and menacing. "I'm here now. Go ahead."

"I... Where's Mike?" Trevor asked lamely, his bravado gone now the alcohol was out of his system. "You're his friend _and_ his boss - where is he?"

Harvey carefully moulded his features to look slightly remorseful and sad. "I thought you knew," he said softly.

"What?" Trevor blanched. "Knew what?"

"No one told you what happened?"

"No, I... no; what happened?"

"Mike was riding his bike to work about a month ago," Harvey said. "He got hit by a car. He didn't make it."

"I... no, he... he can't have... he..." Trevor was silent for a second, and Harvey wondered what he was thinking.

"I'm sorry," he said lowly.

"I always told him to get rid of that bike," Trevor said quietly, and Harvey was shocked to find there were tears running down the man's face. "He... why didn't anyone tell me?"

"I thought you'd be in Montana," Harvey said.

"I... it didn't work out there," Trevor mumbled. "Oh my god... Mike..."

"Look, I'm going to do you the biggest favour of your life," Harvey said - the man was both an awful friend and a good one; Harvey didn't know what to think. "I'm going to get you a reduced sentence. When you get out, go see Jenny."

"Jenny... My Jenny? Wh - why?"

"She'll have news for you."

With that, Harvey left the room.

* * *

><p>He kept his word. He got Trevor a reduced sentence. However, it wasn't his first time being charged and the fact he had stolen a cop car didn't make the Judge take it easy on him. He got 7 years.<p>

Harvey had thought about it long and hard - when Trevor would get out, Mike would be 10. That would be old enough to decide if he wanted to see Trevor or not. Right now, although he usually kept his adult mind, Harvey didn't want his 3 year old (and _yes _he referred to Mike as _his_) to interact with Trevor.

He had gone to Jenny after asking Mike if he wanted the girl to know.

It may have seemed weird - not giving him a choice with Trevor and yet letting him choose with Jenny, but the girl was sweet.

Trevor wasn't.

Mike had thought about it long and hard, and eventually decided he wanted to tell Jenny.

He missed her.

Harvey had gone round and explained everything. After twenty minutes he finished his story and eventually presented the small boy when Jenny didn't believe him.

"You're... this is Mike?"

"Hi, Jen," Mike whispered, refusing to get onto Harvey's lap in case Jenny thought any less of him.

"How is this possible?" She asked, going slightly light-headed. "I mean... you're... you're just a baby..."

"I'm 3," Mike told her, pouting slightly.

"He really doesn't like being called a baby," Harvey said, rolling his eyes.

"This is... I don't know what to say," she said. "Can I... This can't be Mike, I - "

"Your name is Jennifer Nicole Griffith, your birthday is the 6th January, you like blueberries and the smell of wood smoke," Mike said quietly. "You enjoy ironing your clothes but you don't like washing the dishes. Your favourite place in the world your grandparent's ice cream parlour and your first dog was a pug called Alfie. It's me, Jenny."

She gazed at him with wide eyes. "And will you... you'll grow up?"

"As far as we're aware," Harvey said.

"I..." She faltered, blinking, before finally shaking her head and taking a deep breath. "So, how's your life? Are you being treated okay? Does your Grandmother know? You need me to get you any toys or books that Harvey won't let you get?"

Harvey let a breath out.

They would be fine.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Gosh that was long - I heartily apologise. All the more to review, right? ;) There will be more Trevor, I hope; and it may have seemed like I rushed the end parts, but it was getting too long and this was more setting up that Mike's friends have to be told something - there will probably be future chapters that involve them.**

**But I hope you enjoyed it - all 10,000+ words XD **


	16. Sun, Sand and SuperDaddy

**Hey guys :D Thanks for all the amazing reviews - I love each and every one of you XD I thought we should have a nice and lovely fluffy chapter before the next one (which will be angsty, hopefully) :) And I thought - what could be better than a fabulous Specter fun day? Featuring everyone's favourite uncle (I like to think, anyway XD).**

**Very much inspired and given to me by _CuppaChar _who is amazing in every way :D**

**Oh, and because one reviewer mentioned sometimes being confused by ages, I'll post the age at the start of each chapter :) This one is 4 :)**

* * *

><p>It was a hot day in New York.<p>

Really hot.

So hot, in fact, that Harvey was walking around the firm with his jacket, tie _and _vest lying abandoned on his couch. He had at least three fans set up in his office to keep it cool (and had stolen one from Louis' office) and the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up.

Everyone was feeling the heat, and the listlessness he felt just walking through the bullpen was unparalleled. The associates were slowly typing or writing, or going over files with their neighbour. All of them were sweating - thankfully the air conditioning was working but it didn't stop those unlucky enough to be sat away from the vents swearing and decreeing their soon-to-be melted status.

Harvey walked back to his office from gathering a file from an unknown associate (he kept putting off recruiting interviews, insisting to Jessica he had 'forgotten') and was met with Donna, who - unsurprisingly, had not been as affected by the heat as everyone else had seemed to be.

"Harvey, you just got a phone call - on Saturday, you - "

"Donna, I thought we'd already agreed that I wouldn't be working weekends?" Harvey said, too hot and crabby from the sweltering sun to be gracious and let her finish. "I'm amazed I even got Louis to look after Mike today, he won't agree to it on Saturday."

"What I was _saying_," she continued, fixing him with a glare that clearly said 'don't start now', "is that you just got a phone call from your brother."

"Oh," Harvey blinked heavily, running a hand through his hair to disguise the fact he was swiping at his slightly damp brow.

"Precisely," Donna nodded. "He's got Saturday off and he thought since you mostly have them free as well, you and 'the spawn'," she even used the finger quotes, "might like to do something."

"You're actually scheduling my private life as well as my business one?" Harvey asked her.

"Harvey you wouldn't be able to tie your own shoes without me," she said sweetly. "Anyway, you didn't seem to mind me scheduling your private life when it was making sure you took Mike to the dentists, or when he needed new shoes, or when I remind you when a relative's birthday is coming up, or telling you that you left Mike at the office that time - "

"He was exceptionally quiet that day, it was an easy mistake to make," he argued.

"Harvey you left him asleep on your couch and didn't realise until you got back to your condo!" Donna reminded him. "And that was only because I called you and told you."

"Okay, so you might help a bit when it comes to my private life," he relented, smirking slightly. "So I'm pencilled in for, what? A family reunion on Saturday?"

"Oh it's not pencilled, it's there in Sharpie," she informed him. "And don't act like you don't want to. What were you planning on doing?"

Filling the bath with ice and lying there for the day had sounded pretty good to Harvey, but he had to admit these new plans also appealed.

Donna nodded approvingly at his silence. "Good. Would you like me to also decide what you're doing?"

"I'm sure I'll manage that part," he told her. He checked his watch, seeing it was coming up to five pm. It was so much harder to get Mike settled on an evening now it was hot. He would argue against a bath for nearly an hour - saying it was hot so he shouldn't sit in hot water, and didn't want anything hot or even vaguely warm for dinner and yet vetoed any of Harvey's cold food suggestions.

Which is why he was slightly relieved he could pawn the kid off on other people at work who didn't yet understand the extent of the kid's crabbiness in hot weather.

"I'm going to get Mike and take off," Harvey told Donna. "We'll come back here first so I can grab my jacket."

"You know Louis didn't take his tie _or _jacket off," Donna said, smirking at him slightly. "And one of his fans 'disappeared'." They both looked at the fan sitting majestically in the corner of Harvey's office.

"Well Louis just wants to prove he doesn't have a weak stomach - and yet he will inevitably end up passing out because of the heat," Harvey said, trying to come up with excuses for his own appearance that didn't involve 'it's too damn hot'.

He failed miserably.

So he left Donna miming a faint and went to Louis' office to collect Mike. If he had known his four year old would be spending the day in Louis' office he would probably have left the fan in the room.

Harvey didn't quite understand how Mike's mood changed so much in hot weather. Usually the kid was like a cat and chased sunlight across the floor and begged to be allowed outside at the first hint of warmth and sun. He guessed that even a summer-lover like Mike had a line and so tried to limit the amount of time the kid spent in meltingly hot weather.

Thankfully, Louis' office was in an awkward place - the sun only finally hit it in late afternoon and although it was warm, it had not been as warm as Harvey's office, which pretty much constantly caught the sun. The temperatures were about the same though, Harvey realised, what with the amount of fans he had in his office.

He walked in through the open door - Louis was apparently under the misguided impression that a cool breeze would flow in from the stagnant, warm air of the corridor.

Mike was lying on his stomach on the floor, colouring the book that Nick had managed to snaffle from the Natural History Museum's gift shop (he worked in the museum part time). It had pictures of dinosaurs in it, waiting to be coloured in, and Mike was studiously shading and trying to make sure he stayed within the lines with the large pack of crayons Donna had given him.

Louis spotted him first, almost buried in a stack of paperwork on his desk. He bristled at Harvey's weather-appropriate attire. "You realise that we're in a _law firm_?" He sniped. "We don't instigate casual Fridays."

"It's Thursday, Louis; were you not told they changed the day?" He asked, smirking.

"Daddy!" Mike bounced up from his position on the floor happily, holding up his arms to be picked up.

Harvey did so and pretended to stagger from his weight. "Aren't you getting too old to be held now?" He asked, smiling. "You're too big a boy now, aren't you?"

Mike shook his head, giggling slightly, letting his arms rest around Harvey's neck. Harvey could feel the warm skin on his neck and internally winced. He had made sure that Mike was dressed for the warmth but there was only so much he could convince Mike to wear - he hadn't liked the idea of wearing just his underwear and a t-shirt, even though Harvey had argued that four year old's don't care if they walk around like that, Mike had pointed out that he was wearing blue underwear with smiling fish printed on them.

So they had reached a compromise of shorts and a tee. The cotton shorts helped keep him cool, and the tee was just like any other - except it had a picture of Scooby Doo on it (Mike preferred the classics to the new cartoons).

"Daddy, Louis got me some of _Jessica's _water to drink," Mike pulled on his shirt just to make absolutely sure Harvey knew he was addressing him.

Harvey raised an eyebrow at Louis. "You know she has that water filtering system," Louis tried to defend himself. "And it's cooler than the machine in the partner's break room."

"You stole _Jessica's _water," Harvey confirmed. "To give to _Mike_."

Louis shuffled uncomfortably. "He wanted something cold to drink," he muttered, the tips of his ears going pink (although it could have been from the heat of the room).

"What do we say?" Harvey asked, bouncing Mike on his hip slightly.

Mike scowled in the way Harvey always read as 'I'm not a little kid!' but quickly thanked Louis for the drink. The man nodded and busied himself with his files until they both left.

As Harvey walked back to his office, Mike started chatting happily about what he had done that day, how Louis had scared the crap (quickly changed to 'life' after a small, warning bounce) out of some associates and got really annoyed because someone had stolen his fan but Mike didn't mind because he liked it when it was warm (which Harvey snorted at).

"But I wanted to stay with _you_ today," Mike tugged Harvey's shirt again. "I never get to stay with you," he pouted.

"That's not true and you know it," Harvey prodded him in the side gently. "And on Saturday we're spending the whole day together." He laughed at Mike's wide eyes.

"Really?" Mike gasped - although he was excited, so it came out more as 'weally?'

"Uncle Nick's got the day off," Harvey told him.

"He always works on a Saturday," Mike said, as if Harvey weren't aware of this fact.

"I know, so we're going to do something with him since this doesn't happen very often," Harvey said - although secretly suspecting Nick may have been fired from his job. It wasn't even a _good _job - Nick only did it because he enjoyed it; he didn't even take it seriously. But the last time Harvey had been to visit him at the museum, his colleagues spoke very highly of him.

Pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind until he could confront Nick about his suspicions, Harvey found that Mike was still happily chattering away. "Anywhere in particular you want to go to on Saturday, kiddo?" Harvey asked him.

"Disneyland?" Mike instantly suggested.

"Maybe somewhere a _little _more local," Harvey said, putting Mike down so he could collect his belongings from his office. "See if Donna knows anywhere good to go."

Mike ran to Donna, excitedly babbling about their upcoming day out as Harvey picked up his jacket, vest and tie. He left the office to find that Mike had already decided where he wanted to go.

"Can we go to the beach?" Mike asked, tugging on his trouser leg. Harvey gently but firmly pulled Mike's small, grabby hands off his tailored pants and managed to pick him up with one arm.

"The beach?" Harvey questioned, looking over at Donna, who held her hands up innocently.

"I suggested having a barbecue on your balcony," she defended herself.

"Can we do that too?" Mike begged.

"You want to go to the beach?" Harvey questioned again - not sure why he felt so surprised by this.

"Yeah! And Uncle Nick can come and then we can go back home and have a barb-cue like Donna said!" Mike looked so excited he was practically embodying the puppy he was sometimes referred to as.

"Barb-E-cue," Harvey corrected. "Sure, Mike," he gave in - it was practically nothing when compared with other places he had expected the kid to ask to go to.

"Should I call Nick?" Donna asked, shuffling files around her desk into an organised pile.

"No, I'll call him when we get back. Bye, Donna," he gave her a small smile and took Mike's hand, leaving the firm only to quickly get into the wonderfully cool air-conditioned town car.

* * *

><p>"Mike, if you want to go to the beach on Saturday, you have to behave," Harvey said firmly as the kid pouted and squirmed. "You've been such a good boy all day," Harvey said, knowing he sounded condescending but also knowing that Mike was acting like a child and so that was how he would be treated. "Louis told me you were really well-behaved."<p>

"But I don't want a bath!" Mike wailed, trying to get out of the firm grip Harvey had him in.

"You ate your dinner really well," Harvey said, his voice louder than Mike's. "And you even tidied your toys away. I'm really proud of you for that." He paused, wondering if this would quiet Mike down. It didn't.

"Okay, kid - have it your way. Time-out while I run this bath," Harvey told him, sitting him down firmly on the stool specifically bought for this reason.

"No, I don't want a time-out!"

"I don't think anyone _wants _a time-out," Harvey replied dryly. "But naughty little boys deserve them."_  
><em>

"I'm _not _a naughty little boy!" Mike argued, rubbing at his eyes.

"Yes you are. Maybe if you weren't, you wouldn't get a time-out. Now be quiet. You have to stay on there for ten minutes." Harvey left after a pointed look, leaving the bathroom door open so that he would be able to hear Mike as he was running the bath.

It didn't take much, he wouldn't be surprised if Donna called him, asking what was happening - half of Manhattan probably heard. Even the running water didn't drown out the noise of Mike's cries. Harvey sighed as he waited for the ten minutes to be over. He didn't know what caused the tantrums - Mike had been perfectly fine up until Harvey had mentioned the word 'bath'; he had no idea what the kid had against them.

"I'm sorry!" Mike bawled. "I'll be good! But I don't want a bath!"

Harvey rolled his eyes; the only thing that Mike had done that hadn't been 'good' was that he'd protested with all his might against having a bath. This had included trying to run out of the front door, shouting at Harvey and throwing the toys he had previously tidied away.

"Daddy!" Mike cried, drumming his heels into the stool. "I'm sorry!"

Harvey didn't respond, even though (and he wouldn't admit it) his heart was breaking slightly as he heard Mike crying. He added relaxing bubbles and quickly dug out some bath toys and put them in the bath before checking the clock and going back to get the toddler.

Mike held out his arms - and Harvey always knew he was feeling either really tired, upset or happy when that happened and he knew the kid definitely wasn't happy. Harvey picked him up and walked to the bathroom, sitting on the closed lid of the toilet and rocking Mike gently, shushing him and rubbing his back.

"I'm sorry!" Mike sobbed. "I didn't mean to be bad! But I don't want a bath!"

"Why not?" Harvey asked.

"Don't like them!"

"You need to give me more than that, kiddo," Harvey told him, kissing his head whilst simultaneously pulling his socks off to start getting him ready for the bath.

"I don't _like _being bathed!"

"I know you don't," Harvey murmured, before having a sudden moment of understanding. "Oh... you want to wash yourself?" Mike nodded.

"I'm a big boy," he whispered, rubbing at his nose.

"I'm only here to make sure you don't drown," Harvey said lightly. "And you'd get water in your eyes if you tried to wash your own hair."

"I'm not a baby!" Mike suddenly yelled. "I can do it on my own! I don't need you to help me! I'm... I don't like being washed like a baby!"

"I know," Harvey said placatingly. "I know - but you're not as adult as you want to be. And I already knew most of this anyway - why are you only saying it now?"

"I just... I don't like baths," Mike tried to hide his face in Harvey's neck. "I don't know why! It's... it's only partly not being able to do it myself anyway! I just hate baths but I don't know why!"

"Okay," Harvey said. "It's alright. Look - lets just get you ready for the bath. I put bubbles in it," he said enticingly - and although Mike had protested vehemently about 'being a big boy', he still looked over with a slight interest. "You want to get in?" Harvey asked softly, already standing and putting Mike on the floor so he could undress him. "I've put toys in there too."

"I'm... I'm not a little kid," Mike said half heartedly, his small fingers pulling at the button at the top of his shorts until he gave up and let Harvey unbutton it.

"I know," Harvey hushed him. "I know. But how about we worry about that when you're clean?"

Mike finally allowed himself to be helped into the bath, and his despondency soon disappeared when faced with two rubber ducks and a Loch Ness monster-type creature (which Mike told him was actually a plesiosaur) which when wound up actually paddled it's fins.

Harvey offered for him to wash himself - he would merely sit in there and be an observer - but even after Mike's small breakdown, the kid shyly shook his head and let Harvey lather his hair with shampoo.

When he was clean, dry and in his pyjamas, Mike tiredly curled up on the couch, sucking his thumb. Apparently the heat, bath and tantrum made for one tired kid.

"Sorry, Daddy," he whispered once Harvey had sat down next to him, pulling him onto his lap. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Harvey said softly, rocking him. "Next time tell me - don't just cry about it. Okay?"

Mike sniffed and nodded. "I think it's getting colder," he said quietly. "What if it's too cold on Saturday for the beach?"

"It'll be fine," Harvey promised him. Speaking of, he needed to call Nick to tell him their plans. "Do you want to talk to Uncle Nick for a while?" Harvey asked him, pulling his cell out of his pocket. Mike nodded and was allowed to use the touch screen to call Nick.

_"Y'ello?"_

"Hi, Uncle Nick," Mike said, slowly becoming more happy as time went on, his tantrum soon becoming a distant memory.

_"Hey, squirt! Stolen your dad's phone?"_

Mike giggled. "You're off on Saturday!" He said happily, as if Nick wasn't aware of the fact; which he presently played on.

_"I am? Huh, no one told me that. Well, seeing as you're the boss - what are we doing instead of boring old work?"_

"We're going to the beach!" Mike informed him, bouncing slightly (and making the soft smile on Harvey's face quite strained as Mike's bony body was sometimes connecting quite sharply to parts of his body close to his groin).

_"Awesome!" _Nick replied with relish. _"What time should I get there for?" _

"5am," Mike decided, before listening down the other end. "Why are you laughing?"

_"Stick your dad on, kiddo," _Nick told him. _"I just need to check that time."_

"Okay," Mike pouted. "Bye, Uncle Nick!"

_"Seeya later, munchkin."_

The phone was passed over to Harvey, who quickly righted Mike and sat him across his knee so there would be no more potentially crippling injuries. "Hey, Nicky," Harvey said easily, encouraging Mike to rest his head on his shoulder, bouncing his knee gently in the hopes of sending him to sleep.

_"So I've just been told we're going to the beach?" _Nick said, sounding overjoyed at the news. _"When, where and are you paying for ice cream?"_

"Robert Moses State Park on Long Island, 9:30am and only if you pay for your own picnic," Harvey replied, addressing each question in turn.

_"There'll be a picnic?" _Nick piped up excitedly.

"I'm even throwing in a barbecue for dinner on my balcony," Harvey said, pleased that Mike hadn't spoken since resting against him and hoping this meant he was either close to sleep or was already dead to the world.

_"Sounds awesome - I'll seeya later."_

"Bye, Nick," Harvey hung up, before looking down at Mike. "Come on, buddy - we want to be well rested for the beach, don't we?" He got the faintest of nods and stood up, carefully putting the kid to bed and closing his curtains, not bothering to put the light on as it was the peak of Summer and still light outside. He kept the windows open though, in the hopes that Mike would sleep throughout the night - he had been frequently waking in the middle of the night, whining about the warmth and climbing into Harvey's bed, sweaty and cranky.

"We goin' to th' beach on sat-day?" Mike whispered, so tired Harvey wouldn't be surprised if the kid couldn't remember this conversation in the morning.

"Yeah, Mikey, we are. Go to sleep now," he soothed, running his fingers through Mike's hair until the kid did so.

He stood up when Mike had fallen asleep. He had to plan for the weekend - and what to actually buy for this picnic he had come up with as a spur of the moment thing.

* * *

><p>Saturday had dawned, thankfully not as scalding as the previous week but still warm enough for Mike to be over-excited about a simple visit to the beach. Harvey was packing the beach bag Donna had found for him and smiled as Mike ran out in his new swimming trunks. They were just plain blue, nothing special or childish about them, and Mike loved them.<p>

"Wait a second, kiddo," Harvey said, reaching back into the bag and pulling out a t-shirt that he had packed for if it got colder. "Put this on."

"But we're going to the beach!" Mike argued.

"Yeah, and you can take it off there - but for getting there I want you wearing it. Alright?"

Mike grumbled but tugged it on, before zipping open the cool-bag that was sitting on the floor to see what was inside it. He pushed past the beers that apparently had to take pride of place and found his own drink, which was simply a water bottle of juice. "Hey, close that," Harvey said, swatting at his hand slightly. "You'll let the warm air in."

"What's in the picnic?" Mike asked eagerly, closing the bag as instructed.

"You'll have to wait," Harvey replied. "Go get your sandals on." Whilst Mike did this, Harvey finished packing the bag. Donna would no doubt have laughed at him for the amount of things he managed to get in there and tell him he was being over-protective.

Harvey scoffed at this thought - he _wasn't _be over-protective; obviously he needed the sunscreen, the hat was in case Mike's scalp burnt; also he didn't want the kid to get _too _exposed to the sun. The sunglasses were in case he strained his eyes, the pull-up because you never knew, the sweatshirt because it could suddenly get cold... Okay, maybe he was _slightly _over-protective...

But he also added in a towel or two, as well as a blanket for them to sit on.

He was being _responsible._ Donna should be happy.

His front door opened just as Mike was pulling sandals on and Harvey was closing the bag. "_Hey_," Nick said, drawing it out and doing a bad impression of Fonzie.

Harvey rolled his eyes at his brother. "Nice. You got everything?"

"Trunks, towel, camera, beers. What more do I need?" Nick asked, grinning as Mike ran over to leap on him. "Woah, hey there, monster!" He pretended to be slowly staggering under Mike's weight and was soon on the floor.

"Sunscreen?" Harvey asked.

"I don't need that," Nick waved it off, giving a small _oof _sound as Mike jumped on his stomach excitedly.

"You burn too easily, you're putting some on," Harvey told him, grabbing Mike by the armpits and moving him to one side so that Nick could stand back up.

"I _tan _too easily," Nick corrected him.

"You're fair and pale, you're putting the sunscreen on," Harvey said, in a 'that's final' type of voice.

"Daddy, Uncle Nick's hair's dark," Mike informed him, tugging on the shorts that Harvey was wearing.

"I know it is, monkey," Harvey replied, smiling and ruffling his hair. "But he dyes it. He wants to look 'edgy'."

"Uh, I thought we agreed that we would pretend this is my natural colour?" Nick pushed Harvey slightly.

"What's wrong with fair hair?" Mike asked, pouting.

"Well, blonde is a good look on cute, little monkeys," Nick told him, sticking his tongue out. "But not on cool uncle Nicks. When are we going, Harv?" He asked, allowing Mike to take his hand as he shouldered his bag.

"Now," Harvey informed him. "Mike, do you need the potty? It's a long drive."

Mike blushed and shook his head, looking down at the ground.

"Are you sure?"

Another nod.

"Alright, but if you need to go you'll have to hold it till we get there," Harvey gave up, grabbing their bags. "Come on then."

* * *

><p>Thankfully Mike could hold it (even though their first stop had been the small block of toilets near the parking lot) and they quickly grabbed a good spot on the sand that wasn't too far away from the waves and also wouldn't turn into Atlantis if the tide started to come in.<p>

Harvey flung out his blanket and slid his sunglasses on, sitting down for he hoped would be a nice, relaxing day - he'd kind of hoped that Nick would do most of the babysitting.

He had to quickly sit back up from his comfortable lying position when he saw Mike quickly take his t-shirt off and kneel in the sand. "Mike," he called. The little boy looked up and quickly bounded over. "I don't want you burning to a crisp," he said, pulling the sunscreen out of his bag and quickly lathering the toddler in it.

Mike giggled when it tickled but also tried to pull away. "Daddy I don't _want _it on!" He had already been - in his opinion - bullied into putting the sun hat on that Harvey had packed, and was in no mood to be extra-protected.

"Stop whining," Harvey said. "If you don't have this on you'll be more red than Uncle Nick's bike."

"You better not be bad-mouthing Jarvis," Nick warned as he walked up to them from where he had been taking a few quick shots of the horizon.

"You named your bike 'Jarvis'?" Harvey asked, trying to keep a hold of Mike. "Mikey, stay still."

"Yeah, I'm kind of like Iron Man, so that makes my bike - "

"You're not Iron Man!" Mike argued, still trying to pull away from the sunscreen.

"I'll let _you_ be Iron Man if you let your dad put that cream on you," Nick tried to be democratic.

Mike stopped moving before turning to Harvey. "Uncle Nick needs it too! If I have it, Uncle Nick has to have it too!"

Harvey snorted. "Stay still and you can help Uncle Nick put it on. Okay?" Mike seemed to agree to these terms and let Harvey cover him in the cream.

"Harv if you put any more on him flies'll land and won't be able to leave," Nick told him, seeing how thorough Harvey was in coating Mike in sunscreen. He managed to rub it all in though, and Mike quickly scrambled up to squeeze the tube all over Nick's back.

"Jeeze that's cold!" Nick gasped.

"Well you do have a whole tube of cream on your back," Harvey informed him, pushing his sunglasses up to better see what was happening.

"You know I generally make a rule about having other people putting sunscreen on me," Nick informed them, flinching when Mike rubbed it into his sides. "This one time during Spring Break my frat buddies decided to draw a picture on my chest with sunscreen."

Harvey snorted. "I'm assuming it wasn't a smiley face."

"I was passed out from the alcohol so by the time I woke up I was bright red except for a patch of white that was a picture of a really big - "

"Uncle Nick I'm finished!" Mike said, interrupting just in time.

Harvey smirked and took the tube off Mike, throwing it to Nick. "Don't forget your face or your shoulders."

"Yes, _Mom_," Nick rolled his eyes, causing Mike to giggle.

"Don't even say it," Harvey warned Mike as the little boy looked over, his eyes lit up with mischief.

"Say what, Mommy?"

"Nick I'm going to kill you," Harvey growled as the younger Specter rubbed cream over his arms, chest and shoulders, grinning.

"It's not my fault I'm a bad influence."

Harvey rolled his eyes and slid his sunglasses back up. "It's definitely your fault. Don't convince him to start any new colonies before lunchtime."

* * *

><p>For ten minutes Mike was happy to pile sand together and make a 'sand angel' and throw sand in the air, (until he got some in his eyes and whimpered in Harvey's arms for five minutes until they got it out with some water) but Harvey soon saw Mike glancing wistfully over at a stand that was further up the beach, selling buckets and spades.<p>

He glanced over at Harvey before hastily looking away when he saw the man looking. Harvey frowned, not knowing why the kid would be bashful about asking for something as small as a bucket and spade.

"Nick," Harvey said in a low voice, gesturing for his brother to come over. He went into his bag and pulled out his wallet. "Take this, go with Mike and get him whatever he wants from that stand over there," he pointed towards it.

"And something for myself, sir?" Nick asked, grinning. He took the wallet and went over to Mike, grabbing his hand and saying something along the lines of, "I want to make a sandcastle, come help me choose the right bucket."

When they came back, Harvey saw that Nick had gone all out. Mike was clutching a plain red bucket with a matching spade, whereas Nick was also holding two castle-shaped buckets and two additional spades.

"Harvey, come join in!" Nick called out, waving him over.

"What are you planning on making?" Harvey asked as Mike and Nick decided to just set up next to where Harvey was sat.

Nick set out the buckets in anticipation and waving his arms around them. "A sand castle. But not just any castle! This, my friend - will be a _Specter _castle. And you know what that means?"

"There'll be large windows?" Harvey suggested.

"This will be a _Spectacular Specter Castle_," Nick said - and Harvey could practically hear the italics and capital letters forming on the words. Mike was already piling sand into his bucket and ordering Nick to fill on of his buckets up with water so they could wet the sand and make it slightly harder. Nick saluted and went to the shoreline, collecting water in the bucket.

Harvey snorted as he watched Nick get accosted by a young, pretty woman in a bikini. They started talking, and the woman started curling her hair with her fingers and glancing down occasionally, looking at Nick through her eyelashes.

"You're a photographer?" She asked, looking impressed. "Wow! Is that fun?"

"Yeah - it's hard work though," he told her. "Really hard work. In fact, I'm working right now."

"You are?" She seemed to have overlooked the fact that he was holding a bucket and not a camera.

"Yeah. My editor wanted me to scout for some nice scenes; I think I've found one already," he gave her a charming smile. "And did I tell you I'm a model scout as well?"

"Really?" She squealed delightedly.

"Yeah - has anyone ever told you that you - "

"Uncle Nick!" Mike ran up to him with his bucket full of sand, tugging on his hand. "You said we'd make a castle!"

"I did," he agreed, passing Mike the bucket of water. "You take that and see if your dad wants to help. I'll be there in a minute."

"No, Uncle Nick - _now_!" Mike pleaded. Nick had the bucket thrust back at him and had his hand grabbed once more.

"I'll leave you to your 'work' then, shall I?" The woman said in a frosty voice - which was odd as she had appeared much more bimbo-like when believing he was scouting for models. She left and Nick walked back with Mike, glaring at Harvey who was smirking infuriatingly.

"Your kid is _the worst_ for cock-blocking," he complained.

Harvey chuckled. "Trust me, I know."

"Daddy, come help make the spectular castle!" Mike pulled on his arm, not being able to wrap his tongue around the word 'spectacular'. Harvey moved from his comfortable spot and knelt next to the small boy, taking the bucket Mike had thrust at him. He filled it with sand that he had wet slightly with the seawater from Nick's bucket and looked at Mike, awaiting his instructions.

"Build it _here_," Mike said imperiously, pointing to a spot in front of them. Harvey rolled his eyes but did as the small boy asked, overturning the bucket and letting Mike pat it before carefully pulling it away. An almost-perfect model of a castle tower stayed in the sand and Mike giggled adorably.

"Do another one!" He begged.

Harvey glanced at his watch. "Can Uncle Nick do it for a bit?" He asked. "I need to get the picnic out."

The pull of food was stronger than wanting Harvey to be participating, so Mike just nodded and passed the bucket to Nick instead. "Throw me a beer, Harv," Nick said, catching it when Harvey acquiesced. "Where do you want this tower, shrimp?" Nick asked, filling the bucket and overturning it where Mike was pointing. He opened his beer and sat back, watching Mike making more towers and normal, bucket-shaped mounds.

"Ooh, wait a second, squirt," Nick said, taking his bucket and refilling it, carefully turning it over onto the already built ones. When he moved the bucket slowly they left a now two-tiered castle. "Awesome," Nick said, his eyes shining.

"I wanna try!" Mike begged, getting his own bucket and carefully copying what Nick had done. He giggled when his turned out just as well, and soon the 'Spectacular Specter Castle' was well on the way to completion.

"Daddy, come look!" Mike cried out happily. Harvey looked up from his phone (he was quickly emailing a client) and grinned, moving out from the shade of the umbrella he had erected and stuck securely into the sand.

The castle - whilst obviously not in the same league as the specially crafted and sculpted ones you saw in world records or competitions but it was still impressive. Harvey had an idea that Nick was to thank for most of it but would never even dream of voicing this thought.

"And we have one last touch!" Nick said, quickly pulling a small flag on a stick out from the pockets of his shorts. "I bought it from that stall," Nick told Harvey, who looked at him curiously. "Here, kiddo - finish construction."

Mike took the flag and looked up at Harvey, as if to make sure he was watching. Harvey gently squeezed his shoulder to show that he was and vaguely heard a shutter go. He looked around at Nick.

"Really?"

"Leave me alone and watch the grand opening of Specter Castle," Nick admonished, taking a few pictures as Mike stuck the flag in the topmost turret.

"Tada!" Mike said proudly, turning to beam at the camera proudly.

"That's the best castle I've ever seen in my _life_," Nick gushed, looking over at Harvey. "Whaddaya think?"

Mike gazed up at him anxiously. Harvey pull the small boy's hat off so he could ruffle his hair. "Spectacular."

* * *

><p>They were all sitting underneath the large umbrella (and Harvey had convinced Mike to put his tee back on for a while - just in case) and Mike was drinking from a bottle of juice while Harvey and Nick sipped on beers. Harvey only had one since he was driving, so Nick kindly took his second one.<p>

After a small fight broke out about who was 'king of the castle' between Mike and Nick, sand had been kicked slightly towards the picnic. The sand was easily brushed off (it had simply gone over the bananas) but Mike was refusing to eat it, adamant he could taste it.

"Mike, it only went on the skin, and you peeled that off," Harvey said semi-patiently.

"I can _taste _it!" Mike whined.

"Here, kiddo, have mine," Nick passed him a newly-peeled banana. "That didn't get any sand on it."

Mike eyed it apprehensively but swapped without complaint and had soon finished it. He leapt up as soon as he had finished eating and started to head for the sea. A sudden clutching of his tee prevented him from leaving.

"Daddy!" He whined, knowing who would be stopping him. "I finished!"

"Yeah, you did," Harvey acknowledged. "But wait a while, would you? Let the food settle."

"I want to go in the sea," Mike told him, pulling on his hand.

"You can wait. The sea's not going anywhere," Harvey replied.

"When can I go?" Mike whined.

"In a bit. Let the food settle," Harvey instructed again, giving him a stern look and eating his own food. Mike pouted and Harvey sighed, digging into his bag and pulling out H.B, passing it to him. "Play here for a while, okay?"

Mike took the teddy and sat back down, hugging the toy and gazing out at the sea wistfully.

"There will be ice cream, right?" Nick asked as he finished a sandwich.

"Ice cream?" Mike looked up with interest.

Harvey sighed and shook his head. He waited for a while before finally packing away their picnic, making sure all there was now in there spot was the umbrella, blanket and a few bags. He stood up and held his hand out to Mike, pulling his wallet out of his shorts pocket.

"C'mon then, buddy," he said, as Mike instantly latched onto Harvey's hand - not even knowing where they were going; just knowing that he wanted to be with Harvey. "Let's go get ice cream."

"Yay!" Mike skipped slightly beside him and pulled him. "What ice cream does Uncle Nick want?" Mike asked as they walked away.

"I don't know," Harvey said, turning. "Hey, Uncle Nick!" The man in question waved a lazy had as he moved out from the shadow of the umbrella to sunbathe. "You want ice cream?"

"Did Ansel Adams shoot in black and white?" Nick yelled back as a retort. After a short silence he yelled again. "Yes!"

* * *

><p>"But <em>why <em>couldn't we have bought H.B an ice cream too?" Mike asked as he held his own, getting some of it on his face as he tried to eat whilst walking.

"Because I can see through your schemes and you're not getting more than one ice cream," Harvey told him, holding both his and Nick's ice creams so he had to trust that Mike would stay next to him.

They got back to their patch and Harvey prodded Nick slightly to wake him up from where he had lightly dozed off in the sun. "You should put more sunscreen on," Harvey told him, passing him his ice cream. "You're going pink."

"I'll do it later," Nick waved his hand before looking over to Mike, who had chosen to wobble along some rocks that bordered the walkway down towards where they were sat. "Hey, careful, munchkin, or you'll - "

Mike slipped.

Harvey quickly passed Nick his own ice cream and quickly went over, pulling the little boy up slowly. "Hey, monkey," he said softly. "You're okay... you hit anything?"

Mike's lips wobbled uncontrollably and he rubbed his knee, slowly breaking out in quiet sobs. He held his hands out to Harvey, who saw he had skinned his palms slightly.

"Aw, buddy, it's okay," Harvey reassured him, rubbing his back. "You'll be fine."

It was then that Mike realised he had lost his grip on his ice cream. He glanced down at his empty hands before looking over to see his cone was upended in the sand, the ice cream already melting. More tears appeared and Harvey hastily picked him up, jogging him as they walked back to where Nick was sat, watching in concern.

"He alright?" Nick asked.

"I dropped my ice cream!" Mike wailed, burying his face into Harvey's shoulder.

"Aw man, that's the worst," Nick commiserated. Harvey held out a hand and without question Nick passed him the older man's ice cream.

"It's alright, Mikey," Harvey told him, pulling the small boy back carefully, mindful of the cone in his hand. "Eat mine instead."

Mike sniffed and rubbed his nose with his hand. "But that's _yours__,_" he whispered; wanting to be nice and selfless but at the same time _really _wanting ice cream.

"It's fine, buddy - I'll just steal Uncle Nick's," Harvey told him, smiling.

Mike gave a teary smile and accepted the cone, licking it slowly before getting spirit back and was soon attacking it with gusto. On attempting to steal some of Nick's ice cream, Harvey managed to get a few quick bites before Nick pushed him away onto the ground.

Cue Nick being tackled into the sand.

After spitting out some grit he ruffled his hair, seeing sand fly from it. "I'm gonna wash this off. Whaddaya say, Mikey? Up for a paddle?"

Mike nodded quickly and tried to rush off.

"Wait a second, kid," Harvey said, pulling him back.

"But Daddy!" Mike whined, quickly allowing Harvey to take his tee off and rub him in sunscreen once more.

"But Mikey!" Harvey said in a semi-mocking tone. He took the hat off as he saw the sun wasn't as hot or bright as it had been earlier in the day.

"_Now _can I go in the sea?" Mike begged.

"Wait," Harvey repeated, sitting him down as he pulled his bag towards him.

"Uh... Harv, are you sure this is all necessary?" Nick asked, trying to contain his laughter. Mike was soon fully decked out in large, orange water-wings, goggles and Harvey was debating on whether or not to put a large, inflatable ring round his middle.

"I can swim!" Mike insisted, squirming away from the ring and pulling the goggles off.

"You're keeping the water-wings on," Harvey told him sternly. "I don't have time for you to drown right now. Donna's birthday's coming up and if it's a miserable one she'll never let me forget it."

Mike rolled his eyes but kept the orange inflatables around his upper arms. He took Nick's hand and pulled him towards the waves.

"You're excited," Nick remarked, smiling.

"I've never been to the sea before!" Mike said, wiggling in excitement and yanked Nick's hand.

"What, never?" Nick asked, confused.

"I once got a ferry to see the Statue of Liberty," Mike shrugged as they finally came upon the waves. He put a foot in and giggled as the sea foam washed over it.

Nick started to go further in, but was stopped as Mike seemed to suddenly freeze - still as a statue.

"What's up?" He asked, as the tide slowly started to roll around them.

"Not too far," Mike said shakily.

"I thought you could swim?" Nick asked, looking over at Harvey who had instantly spotted their plight and was making his way over.

"But I'm really small," Mike said, as if this was news to Nick. "What if the waves go too far over and I drown?"

Nick laughed slightly. "I really don't think you're going to drown. Look at these!" He pulled gently at the water-wings. "You really think you'll drown with these on?"

Mike still kept clutching onto Nick's hand, eventually moving to cling to Harvey when he got there. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"How far in are we going?" Mike asked, slowly edging further out so the water lapped around his ankles.

"Not very," Harvey said gruffly. He had been planning on not letting go of Mike's hand anyway, but the kid refused to let go, so Harvey just held his hand and gently moved forward slightly, enjoying watching Mike in the sea.

"Smile!"

Harvey and Mike turned to see that Nick had been taking pictures. He quickly snapped one and looked down. "Beautiful," he winked at Harvey.

Harvey rolled his eyes but looked back at Mike, who had bent down to swirl his hands in the water. "You want to go out a bit further, kiddo?" Harvey asked, crouching next to him.

Mike thought for a while before nodding, following Nick and bravely trying to jump over waves. After a while it was amazing to think that the kid had ever been nervous about the water. Harvey no longer had hold of him but was staying close, and he was surprised to see that Nick was as well.

"I want to go further!" Mike requested, trying to wade out. He was already up to his knees and although the water was calm, both Harvey and Nick swapped raised-eyebrow looks.

"Maybe another day, kiddo," Harvey told him, taking his hand once again and pulling him up slightly to help him jump over the small waves as they slowly walked back to the shoreline.

The day was becoming a lot cooler and Harvey saw that Mike was rubbing his eyes a lot. The kid was insistent he didn't need naps anymore, and yet it didn't stop him falling asleep anyway at around 2pm. It was now 4 and Harvey decided they should start heading back.

He was surprised to have little argument from Mike, but the kid was mainly just blinking sleepily in the just-warm afternoon sun. "C'mon, kiddo - we're having a barbecue at home," Harvey said, trying to spark some life into him. After the events of the day, Mike was exhausted but managed to dredge up an excited grin. He took H.B back from the bag and held him, stumbling slightly next to Harvey as he carried their bags.

After going to the toilets just before they shut, they packed up the car and drove back - Harvey unsurprised that Mike fell asleep almost as soon as he was strapped in.

* * *

><p>Harvey decided that the barbecue could wait an hour and sent Nick out in search of food to put on it while Mike slept. He woke the kid up just a few minutes after they had lit the barbecue, and Harvey had placed a few burgers on it.<p>

"C'mon, Mikey," he said in a hushed voice. "Come sit on the balcony with us."

Mike insisted on being carried out and happily sat on Harvey's lap as Nick offered to man the barbecue. "Did you have a good day?" Harvey asked, rubbing Mike's back. He had changed into his dinosaur pyjamas and didn't want to get changed again, and was slowly chewing the tip of the sleeve.

He nodded and managed to sit up slightly from where he'd curled into a ball on Harvey's lap. "I had fun," he smiled, gaining back some energy as he talked and smelt the food cooking. "Did you see the big wave I jumped over?"

"I did," Harvey replied.

"And our castle!" Mike said happily, before suddenly realising something and gasping. "Our castle! What if it gets knocked down? We just left it!"

"It would have gotten knocked down anyway, kiddo," Harvey told him. "And Uncle Nick got loads of pictures," he assured him. Nick gave a thumbs up whilst turning over the burgers.

Mike didn't seem very reassured by this and pouted, snuggling into Harvey's chest and sticking his thumb in his mouth. He felt his back being rubbed softly and felt his eyes closing.

He fell asleep again and was gently bounced awake when the food was ready. "C'mon, buddy," Harvey said softly, passing him a plate and letting him slowly add what he wanted to his burger. Nick collapsed onto a seat next to him and they sat and ate in silence, enjoying the view and the soft, cool breeze - so refreshing after their warm day.

Harvey rubbed around Mike's mouth with a tissue to get rid of the sauce that was left and tried to wake him up a bit. "Mike, if you go to bed now, you'll wake up too early, and Daddy won't let you wake him up," Harvey warned, bouncing him.

"But I'm _tired_," Mike whined, rubbing at his eyes.

Harvey sighed, sensing an early morning in the not-so-distant future.

"Here, Mikey - how about we set up your play castle?" Nick suggested. "It won't be as good as our Spectacular Specter Castle, but it'll be pretty close."

Mike thought about it and nodded, sliding off Harvey's lap and helping Nick set up the castle, dragging it outside (And setting it up as close to the wall as possible, and also as far away from the barbecue as possible). With the help of his imagination, Mike was soon giggling and happily playing in the castle, his listlessness forgotten about for the time being.

Harvey rolled his eyes at Nick's smug, triumphant grin but said nothing, just glad that Mike might be going to bed his normal time after all.

"I've been meaning to ask," Harvey said as they relaxed in their chairs. "Why are you off today?"

"Disagreement with the boss," Nick said lightly, shrugging.

"You were fired," Harvey said, narrowing his eyes. "Nicky, why do you never _care _when this happens?"

"It's not like I couldn't get another job," Nick shrugged. "But for the record - I wasn't fired."

"What was your 'disagreement' about then?"

"I want to work in the planetarium instead."

"But I thought you _enjoyed _working in the museum!"

"I do. But I might apply for a job in the planetarium. That looks pretty cool."

"So why are you off today if you weren't fired?" Harvey asked, exasperated.

"My boss doesn't want to lose me," Nick grinned. "He tried all sorts - begging, bribing... Then he said he noticed how I always bring my nephew in and maybe if I always have to bring him into work, maybe they aren't giving me enough days off."

"Nicky you work part-time at _best_!"

"I know," Nick grinned. "And he said if I have any exhibitions he'd be happy to house them in the museum."

Harvey was silent. He finally shook his head, a small, proud smirk on his face. "You're unbelievable. Jessica's known me for years and bitches whenever I bring Mike in. You've worked there for about 5 months and your boss is getting ready to propose."

"What can I say?" Nick asked, grinning happily. "I'm just _that _loveable."

"Yeah, yeah," Harvey grumbled, getting up to make sure the barbecue had cooled. "Mikey, you need a bath."

"But I went in the sea!" An indignant head popped up from inside his play castle.

"Which is why you need a bath," Harvey explained. "You got a little burnt as well," he noted, seeing the tinge of pink across Mike's nose and cheeks. "I'll put some cream on that."

"I don't need cream on it!" Mike argued, getting out of the castle. He climbed onto Nick's lap for protection before looking at his face. "Uncle Nick got burnt too!" He declared, sounding too happy at this revelation. "If I get cream, Uncle Nick has to get it too!"

"Not that again," Nick rolled his eyes. "Since when did I want to be like you? Surely you want to be like me?"

Mike giggled but blushed slightly as he stared at Nick's chest as he answered. "I want to be like Daddy."

"Yeah, well that's only too obvious," Nick told him teasingly, poking him in the stomach.

"Really?" Mike sounded ecstatic at this.

"You're _exactly _like him," Nick said, grinning at Harvey's soft expression. "Which is bad. Because you know I'm so much more awesome and cool. He's just 'daddy'. _I'm _Cool Uncle Nick."

"I'm not pretentious enough to need a adjective before my name," Harvey told him, pulling Mike out of his lap. "I'll bring some cream out for you, Nicky."

"How about over-protective Daddy?" Nick suggested as Harvey took Mike inside to run a bath. "Over-bearing Daddy?"

"You can mock all you want, Nick - I am clearly the best Daddy in the world." Harvey told him, throwing Mike up into the air slightly. Mike giggled as he was quickly caught again, before resting his head on Harvey's shoulder.

"Super-Daddy," Mike mumbled, not even really aware he'd suggested it.

Harvey gave a small laugh. "Sounds good to me, kid," he said softly, patting Mike's back. "Sounds good to me."

* * *

><p><strong>AN So I'm no longer going to apologise for chapter length because I work too hard to make them long XD Hope you all enjoyed - please tell me what you thought and hopefully the next chapter will be full of angst ;)**

**Sorry if there are any mistakes in here - I proof-read but always miss stuff XD**


	17. The Rainbow Connection

**Hey guys :D So here's the super-angsty chapter :D (At least, I think it will be - much like the bus crash chapter, it'll probably end up darker than I intended XD Edit - it surprisingly didn't, I may not as be as messed up as I thought I was!)**

**And I think I've pretty much sorted the order of future chapters now. You should be in for a good time, hopefully :) And this is also the longest chapter so far at around 12,000 words O.o That being said - I hope you enjoy :)**

**Mike's age: 7**

* * *

><p>"Dad, do you know where my 'Cars' jacket is?" Mike asked, rummaging around in his closet as he tried to find the missing garment.<p>

Harvey rolled his eyes as he stood at a kitchen counter, quickly reading the newspaper he got delivered to his door as he drank his coffee.

"Remember that discussion we had about putting your clothes away properly so you're not late for school the next morning?" Harvey asked, putting his cup down and walking into his son's room. He walked in to find that Mike had been slightly sidetracked in his quest to find his jacket as he had found some old toys.

"What did we agree for school mornings?" Harvey asked, gently taking the 'Finding Nemo' toy from Mike's hands and putting it in a toy box.

"No toys," Mike huffed.

"Unless...?"

"Unless I'm ready to go."

"And are you?"

"Nearly!" Mike said earnestly, pulling on Harvey's hand to make him get on his knees and sift through his wardrobe. "But I can't find my jacket!"

"Have you checked the coat hooks next to the front door?" Harvey asked, knowing - as much of a genius as Mike was, he could lack a lot of common sense sometimes.

"_Yes_!" Mike insisted.

"Okay, well how about you find a different jacket to wear today?" Harvey suggested, glancing at his watch.

"But I want my 'Cars' one!" Mike told him.

"Can we compromise with your Stegosaurus one?" Harvey asked, pulling it out and deciding they really needed to tidy the wardrobe. Mike frowned but Harvey checked his watch again and sighed. "Buddy, we're going to be late if we don't go now."

Mike huffed but took the jacket, pulling it on and grabbing his school bag. Harvey left the room to put his suit jacket on and grab his briefcase, and was quickly joined by Mike.

"Do you have your homework?" Harvey checked. Mike nodded but was frowning slightly. "It was too easy again," Harvey guessed, seeing the look on his face. Mike sighed and nodded. "Okay - well how about you tell Miss Attrill that I'd like to speak to her at the end of the day."

"Am I in trouble?" Mike asked nervously, as they made their way out of the apartment and down the road where a car was waiting.

"No, Mike, you're not in trouble," Harvey assured him, rolling his eyes. "We need to try and get you work that'll actually test you and teach you something."

"You could just not send me to school," Mike mumbled as they both got into the car, strapping in.

"Then you wouldn't be tested or taught at all," Harvey told him.

"I could get a tutor," Mike suggested - not for the first time.

"Which would defeat the purpose of _sending _you to school - which is getting you out of the house and socialising with other kids."

"What's the point if none of them are my age?" Mike asked, a little quietly.

Harvey sighed as he glanced over at the boy. "Another bad day?"

"Yesterday they wouldn't let me join in dodgeball," Mike murmured. "I told them I was good at it but they said it wasn't for little kids. I could have played!"

"I know you could've, kiddo," Harvey said soothingly. "I know."

"And when I tried to play with the other kids, they ignored me 'cause I wasn't in any of their classes," Mike explained to him, blinking rapidly. He felt Harvey's arm wrap around him and was thankful that it took about twenty minutes to drive to his school.

Harvey hated the fact that there was no one around with a mind like Mike's. He wouldn't fit in, in a class of other 7 year old's because he was too smart. And in the class of 17 year old's he was still too smart and also too young so that no one would take him seriously if he tried to become friends. Harvey was still unsure of what to do and made a note to Google potential schools/tutors/groups that Mike might be able to join or go see.

Hell, he might even ask Donna or Jessica.

"Don't worry about it, bud," Harvey said, ruffling his hair. "They're just jealous because you're smart. And they don't have _me _as their dad," this earned him a small smile from Mike. "I promise I'll come pick you up today to talk to your teacher," he said. He opened his briefcase and wrote a quick note to Miss Attrill explaining that he wished to talk to her and asking if she would wait with Mike after class until he got there. Signing it deftly, he passed it to Mike.

The boy read it and nodded, keeping it firmly in his hand. The car soon pulled up outside the school (and Mike still flinched when people shot glances over to the large town car the small boy got out of) and Harvey gave him a quick hug.

"Have a good day, Mikey," he said - no longer wanting to let the boy go. "I'll come pick you up. Okay?"

Mike nodded - glad to have something to look forward to. Usually Harvey couldn't get the time to go pick him up so a mixture of Donna, Ray and sometimes Louis were sent to get him.

Mike especially liked the time Louis had gone to get him and had found Mike being picked on by some older kids and he had completely ripped into them before taking Mike for ice cream and promising not to tell Harvey about it (although he had, in fact, told Harvey and Harvey had then gone to the school and the kids mysteriously decided it would be in their best interests if they changed schools).

If he was early, he would usually go straight to the library and smile adorably at the librarians. Their hearts would then melt and he would be given free reign with the books until the bell rang. He stayed there for a while that morning, finding a few books he hadn't read and instantly took them to the desk to check them out.

"Hi, Miss Stacy," Mike smiled at the woman as he passed her the books.

"Hey, Mike," the woman smiled back at him. She was a college student on a teaching course and worked part time in the school's library. She had fallen slightly in love with the small boy but had quickly learnt to not be condescending towards him. She had soon become his favourite librarian. "You know I don't usually care what books you take out," she said casually as she scanned them regardless and stamped them with the date, "but are you sure some of these will be okay?"

"I can ask my dad tonight if you want?" Mike asked, not really intending on doing so. He usually told Harvey about his day (unless it had been a particularly bad day and he didn't want to talk about it) which in turn morphed onto an hour-long epic about the books he had taken out that day. The man didn't really care which ones he got out.

She smiled, putting the books into a stack and passing them back to him, just as the bell went. "I'll trust you, this time," she said - saying the same thing she said every time.

The bell rang and she gave him another smile as he left. He leafed through one of the books as he walked to class, stuffing them into his backpack just as he reached the room.

"Mike," Miss Attrill greeted him warmly. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," he smiled at her before rummaging in his pocket and giving her Harvey's note. "My dad wanted me to give you this."

She took it curiously and read it; schooling her features to give nothing away when she finished. "That's fine," she said to him, before motioning that he should take his seat.

* * *

><p>Harvey was trying to get through his heavy workload, pawning off work to various associates when Donna came in, looking worried.<p>

"I've got the Rickling Centre on the phone," she told him.

Harvey's stomach twisted and he hoped that he had missed a payment or that they had finally taken his advice about redecorating Mary's room or it was the woman herself, just wanting to talk.

"Put 'em through," he said, as if nothing was worrying him. He gave Donna a look as she pressed the right line and looked as if she was settling in to stay, and so she just walked back out, watching from her desk instead.

"_Hi, is this Harvey Specter?"_

"Yes - what's this about?"

_"Mr. Specter I'm head nurse at the Rickling Centre - you're listed as Mrs Mary Ross' next of kin?"_

"Yes... is she okay?" Butterflies were starting to build now.

_"Mrs Ross suffered a stroke an hour ago. She suffered coronary failure but we managed to get her back with us. However..." _She paused, and Harvey's insides clenched. _"She isn't doing so well."_

"How long?"

_"Mr. Specter, I don't - "_

"How. Long?"

There was a short pause on the other end before a sigh. _"To be perfectly frank, Mr. Specter - our medical team are working tirelessly but they agree that the next 24 hours are crucial... she'll be lucky to make it through the night."_

"Right," Harvey said, going numb. What was he supposed to say?

And how was he supposed to tell Mike?

_"If you want to come down, one of doctors will gladly go through everything and answer any questions," _the nurse told him.

"Okay. I'll do that," Harvey said, staring ahead. "Thank you."

He put the phone down and rubbed at his lip as he thought. He would need to go down there and talk to the medical team, and somehow - _somehow _- tell Mike.

"Harvey?" Donna came back in as soon as she heard him put the phone down. "What did they say? How's Mary?"

"She's..." He paused. "She's not doing so well."

Donna nodded. "Is there anything they can do?"

He sighed. "I don't think so. She had a stroke, and the nurse didn't sound very confident. I'm going down there now to get the full story."

"What are you going to tell Mike?"

Harvey paused on his way out. "I don't know," he replied honestly.

* * *

><p>He rubbed at his face as he walked out of the care centre. Mary had been unconscious (and Harvey had seen albinos with more colour than her) and had a breathing mask over her face, not to mention various tubes and lines running in and out of her. The doctor had basically told Harvey that they really didn't think she had much time left - they would see if she was any better the next day but if not...<p>

How the hell was he going to tell Mike?

Shit.

_Shit._

He was supposed to pick the kid up from school - he quickly checked his watch - an hour previously. He didn't even bother calling for his car to be driven round; instead he grabbed the first taxi that passed and promised double the fare if they got to the school in less than twenty minutes.

When they got there in 13 minutes, Harvey threw the driver the fare (doubled) and rushed into the school, quickly arriving at Mike's classroom. He knocked on the door and went inside, feeling awful when he saw Mike's heartbroken expression.

"I'm sorry, Mikey," Harvey said, going over and not even saying hello to Miss Attrill. "I was just... busy."

"You're always busy," Mike sniffed, putting the book he had been reading in his bag.

"Is that a new one?" Harvey asked, trying to keep the conversation light for as long as possible.

Mike nodded. "I got some out of the library today. Wanna see them?" He asked, a little more energy coming back into him.

Harvey smiled at him. "You know I do, buddy - but right now I just want that quick chat with Miss Attrill. Okay? You can tell me all about your books as soon as we leave. Alright?"

Mike nodded and watched as the two adults left the room.

"Harvey," Miss Attrill said as soon as they'd closed the door. Having had to meet a few times regarding Mike, they were on first name terms. This professional relationship soon turned into a playfully flirty one, which quickly turned into passionate one - although the passion was kept to the bedroom; _her _bedroom - and they knew there wouldn't be an actual relationship. Although she secretly wished for one. This in turn led to a breakdown of their relationship and they managed to act civil towards each other for Mike's sake - who still had no clue that his dad and his teacher sort-of dated.

"Coral," Harvey said. "I know you don't think I'm the best father in the world, but - "

"Harvey, I don't think that," she told him. "You're a good dad. Mike talks about you all the time. It's just this habit you have for not leaving work at the office, or leaving Mike as a last minute thought - "

"That's not true," he immediately argued. "Whatever work I have I make sure Mike comes first."

"That may be true - but things like this?" She motioned at the classroom door. "It doesn't exactly work in your favour. I tried calling you," she told him. "You didn't answer. What if it had been something serious? I would have thought that as a lawyer you would always have your phone on you. And you promised to tell me when you had court so I wouldn't call then. So I'm just wondering what had you so busy that you couldn't remember to pick up your son from school? What if you hadn't wanted to speak to me? He'd have been here on his own!"

No one could ever say they had made Harvey Specter feel like dirt. But if there was an attack on his love for Mike or his competence as a parent - it both raised his defences and made him feel like mud.

"Coral, I had an urgent - "

"It's always urgent, Harvey," she said, folding her arms.

"Mike's grandmother's dying."

Wow.

It felt weird to say it.

Coral blinked at him, slightly taken aback. "Harvey, I... I don't know what to say. Is this a recent thing? Has she been ill?"

"She's frail and elderly and about, " he checked his watch, "four hours ago, she had a stroke. The doctors don't think she'll make it through the night. I was at her care home and was busy - my cell was off as well, that's why you couldn't get hold of me."

"I'm... I'm sorry, Harvey. What are you... do you want help telling him?" She asked softly, taking his hands. Harvey almost welcomed her touch, but at the same time... it just felt wrong.

"No, it's fine," he told her. "He'll probably be out of school for a few days. They're close."

Coral nodded. "I suppose you should go," she said, letting go of his hands. She was about to walk back down the corridor and open the classroom door before turning. "What did you want to speak to me about before?"

Harvey shook his head. "It doesn't matter right now. Just... his work."

"Harvey, his work is excellent," she said, as if he didn't already know. "I've graded thousands of papers and his are of college quality!"

"I know that," he told her. "It's just that he's finding his work too easy."

"I'm just teaching what's on the syllabus," she replied. "You want him to do harder work, actually send him to college."

Harvey shook his head and just walked back to the classroom where Mike was sat. "Ready to go, kiddo? I'm sorry I was late."

Mike shrugged. "It's okay, I guess. Can I show you my books now?"

Harvey nodded weakly, taking his hand and leading him out of the room, as Mike shouted a quick goodbye to Miss Attrill. The boy was chattering without stopping and Harvey let him - he wanted to hold off the bad news for as long as possible.

* * *

><p>He could only delay the inevitable - and as soon as they got back home and Mike had completely forgiven Harvey for being late, Harvey hung up their jackets (ensuring that tomorrow morning there wouldn't be another hunt) and pulled Mike over to the couch.<p>

"Did I do something wrong?" Mike asked as he was guided down to sit.

"Why do you always assume you've been bad?" Harvey asked him.

Mike shrugged. "Guilty subconscious?"

Harvey gave a weak smile and rolled his eyes half-heartedly. "Mike, I need to tell you the reason I was late picking you up."

"I don't really mind," Mike told him. "I know you're going to have long workdays, and - "

"Mike, it's not about that," Harvey said, putting his arm around the kid. "I got a phone call today. From your Grammy's nursing home."

Mike immediately stiffened. "Is she okay?" He squeaked.

"She got really poorly this afternoon," Harvey said - speaking more towards the child because the soft words were more comforting to his ears. And they sounded a lot less harsh than 'she had a stroke'. "And the doctors are working very hard but... they really don't know if she's going to get better."

"She... no, we went to see her last week," Mike whispered, shaking slightly. "She was fine."

"I know," Harvey said, rocking Mike slightly. "I know she was. She's just... she's not as young as she was and the doctors think that maybe it's her time..."

"No! It can't be! She's one of the only family members I have left!" Mike cried, trying to pull away from Harvey's grip on him. "She'll get better! She can't _leave _me!"

"I know it's not fair, Mikey," Harvey whispered. "But that's life. We can go see her now, if you want... If you want to say - "

"_No_!" Mike yelled. "I'm _not _saying goodbye! Because she's not going to die! She's going to be _fine _again!"

"Mikey you know that might not happen," Harvey said, his heart breaking into what felt like six million pieces.

Mike was just sobbing now, unable to wrap his head around the fact that a family member who had been there for him for the whole of his life was _dying_. Even though he now had a whole new family - it was his Grammy. He couldn't imagine her not being there.

"You want to go see her?" Harvey asked quietly.

Mike shook his head and crawled onto the man's lap instead, bawling into his chest. "I don't want her to die!" He howled.

Harvey patted Mike's back with shaking hands as he rocked gently from side to side. "I know you don't, baby," he said. "I know you don't. I don't want her to either... But these things happen. Let's go see her, and - "

"No! I'm not going to see her!" Mike yelled, trying to punch Harvey with his small fists. Harvey easily grabbed hold of them and looked into Mike's eyes.

"I know what you're thinking, Mikey," he said softly. "You think if you pretend it's not happening, if you don't say goodbye... everything will be fine. But you'll hate yourself if you never said goodbye, kiddo," he whispered, still rocking the child and happy that Mike wasn't trying to get away from him anymore. He was just sobbing into Harvey's chest and clutching his shirt tightly. "C'mon, buddy," he said softly, standing up and somehow managing to carry Mike with him.

The boy wrapped his legs around Harvey's waist automatically, so Harvey sighed and shifted his weight to distribute it more evenly. Harvey carried him to the bathroom and placed him down on the counter top, reaching over to the bath to grab a small towel, wetting it slightly with warm water and slowly brushing it down Mike's face.

Mike snivelled but let him do it, feeling calmer as he did so.

Harvey finally stopped and gave him a sad smile, cupping his face and gently stroking the little boy's cheeks with his thumbs. "That's better," he whispered. "There's my boy's face again. Red eyes and a runny nose aren't good looks for you."

Mike gave him a watery smile and attempted to put on a brave face - after all, Harvey was being brave, so he should be too. "Can we - " he stopped, hiccuping and sniffing slightly. "Can we go see Grammy?" He asked quietly.

"Of course we can," Harvey replied, kissing his forehead and helping him off the counter.

* * *

><p>"Mikey, you need to know that the doctors are doing a lot of things to try and make her better," Harvey warned him before they entered the room. "So she'll have lots of wires and tubes around her. Okay?"<p>

Mike nodded and looked to be steeling himself before gripping Harvey's hand slightly tighter and going to open the door.

Apart from hearing a small whimper, Harvey wouldn't have thought anything else was paining Mike. But he had to admit that Mary looked awful. Her skin was sallow and she looked even thinner than she had just that afternoon - only one or two hours previous.

"Hi, Grammy," Mike whispered, slowly letting go of Harvey's hand and carefully climbing onto the bed. "How are you? I brought some stuff," he said, holding the 'stuff' tightly in his hands. "Remember when you gave me a photo album? I brought it - I thought I could go through it with you and tell you about the pictures. I added some new ones too," he said - his voice quiet.

Harvey pulled a chair round, stroking Mike's hair before sitting down and just maintaining a silent vigil, listening as Mike talked.

"'Member this day? You took me to Coney Island and won a prize on the hammer game... and this one - you got me my first bike? Mom hated it because she thought it was dangerous, but you just sent me down the street on it... and when I came back my knees were bleeding and I had bruises on my arms 'cause I fell off, and Mom got mad but you just kissed them and said you were proud I'd learnt how to ride it...

"And that's a picture you took of me watching The Muppets. I don't know why you took it - but 'member how you used to sing 'Rainbow Connection' if I couldn't sleep? It was always my favourite 'cause... 'cause Mom used to sing it to me...

"And this one here's when you were showing off the jumper you knitted me before your arthritis got bad. It was two sizes too small and I couldn't tell what the picture on the front was suppose to be... 'member? You said it was a dog and I laughed 'cause I thought it was a taxi," he gave a wet snort and passed the album down for Harvey to look, who smirked at the picture.

"That was supposed to be a dog? Mary, you're an amazing woman but I don't think knitting is one of your greatest talents," Harvey said, pleased that it made Mike laugh a bit.

Mike leafed through the album towards the end where he had carefully stuck newer pictures in. "Grammy, this is me with a manatee - Dad took me to a marine park and I got to feed one; you wouldn't have liked it - it smelt and tried to eat my hand."

Harvey smirked as he remembered that particular incident - he had to admit the keepers were admirably a lot calmer than he was. He had been imagining a bloodied stump where Mike's hand used to be... instead the little boy giggled and groaned, pulling away with a slobbery but very-much whole hand.

"And this is me and Ollie, the panda you got me, in the park," Mike angled the album so that - were his grandmother awake, she would have been able to see it. "This was just before someone's dog ran past and grabbed him. Dad chased it for ages and when he got it back it was all slobbery but he washed him like he washes H.B and now he's fine - just like new, like when you gave me him," Mike faltered in his short babble, glancing over at Harvey.

"Daddy?" He whispered.

"Yeah, kiddo?" Harvey whispered back, sitting forward slightly.

"Can I say something to Grammy alone?" He asked quietly, as if scared that Harvey would be mad at him for this.

Harvey looked surprised but nodded, squeezing his shoulder and leaving the room. Once the door closed, Mike looked at his Grammy and sniffed.

"He keeps saying that I should prepare for the worst, and the doctors are saying you might not... not..." he took a shuddering breath, "not wake up. You might keep sleeping through the night and in the morning you won't wake up. I don't... I don't want you to," he whispered, tears falling down his face. "I don't want you to die. _Please_ don't. Grammy you have to wake up! You've... you've always been here and I don't know what I'm gonna do without you," he admitted.

"You were there for me when I needed you most and I..." he breathed in deeply, his whole body shuddering as he attempted to reign in his sobs. "Now you're just _not _going to be here anymore and - " he stopped, realising he'd pretty much accepted the fact she was going to die. "I'm sorry," he bawled. "I don't wanna say goodbye but I think I have to," he cried, crawling up the bed carefully and hugging her gently, kissing her on the forehead.

"Bye, Grammy. I... If you... If I don't... if you stay sleeping, I..." he stopped. How were you supposed to say goodbye to someone? "I love you, Grammy," he told her. "Thank you."

He wasn't sure what he was thanking her for - whether it was for taking him in when his parents died, or actually looking after him and _caring_... He was just glad she had been there.

"Mike?" Harvey knocked on the door and entered slowly. "Can I come in?"

"Uh-huh," Mike nodded, sniffing and still crying.

"Oh, buddy," Harvey said, going over and laying a hand on his shoulder. "Are you ready to go?" He asked softly - not wanting to push the little boy but knowing he needed to both eat dinner and calm down enough to get some sleep.

Mike rubbed at his eyes but nodded, turning and hiding his face in Harvey's chest. Harvey instantly wrapped his arms around the boy and rubbed his back. "Bye, Mary," Harvey said, his voice soft and quiet. "And I also want to quickly say thanks - I never got round to saying it. Thank you for raising Mike when no one else could, and for making sure he was okay. I'm forever in your debt for that - even if I didn't know you or him then."

Mike started to sob into Harvey's chest so the man slowly walked him out, praying it wasn't actually goodbye.

* * *

><p>When they got back to the condo, Mike was told to change into his pyjamas. He walked out in something he'd worn a grand total of once. Donna had been on a cuteness kick and had bought him a child-sized onesie that was red. He'd only worn in once before because Donna had been there and Mike didn't want to hurt her feelings by never wearing it.<p>

But he walked into the living room and climbed on Harvey's knee, clutching the panda toy Mary had bought him and wearing the red onesie. Harvey didn't say anything, but worried that he was acting younger than he was. He supposed it was just Mike's defence mechanism, and was a way of asking for attention. Harvey was happy to give him it and rocked him gently, finding a movie to watch.

They settled on 'Peter Pan' and Harvey was glad it seemed to distract Mike for a while. When the boy started to fidget Harvey decided they should eat something. "What do you want for dinner, Mikey?" He asked softly, rubbing the little boy's arm.

Mike shrugged and put his thumb in his mouth. Harvey gently tugged it out, holding his hand so he wouldn't do it again. "I know you're upset, Mike - but you need to eat."

"Soup?" Mike whispered, looking up at Harvey.

"You want soup?"

"Uh-huh."

"I think we can manage that," Harvey said, gently pushing Mike off his lap so he could stand up to prepare the meal. "Do you want to help?"

Mike nodded and followed him to the kitchen, holding his shirt as they walked, his toy panda in his other hand. The meal was soon ready, and just as Harvey was serving, his phone started ringing. "You want to get started, buddy?" He said softly, passing Mike a bowl. "I got some cheesy bread in as well," he added, ruffling his head and going to answer his phone. "Hello?"

_"Harvey, how is she?"_

Harvey was surprised Donna hadn't called him sooner. "She's... not good. They don't think she'll make it through the night."

Donna drew in a breath. _"How's Mike?" _

Harvey glanced out of his bedroom where he'd walked to answer the call and saw Mike swirling the soup around the bowl with his spoon. "Not good," he repeated, sighing. "He's worried, and he's acting a lot younger."

_"He always does that when he's upset," _Donna assured him, as if he didn't know. _"Remember when you were in that coma for two days?"_

Harvey shuddered, not wanting to. "Yeah?"

_"He was acting younger. He barely spoke; just one or two words in each sentence. He kept wetting the bed as well, and sucking his thumb. It's how he copes, Harvey. Well... apart from the bed thing; that's just nerves."_

Harvey nodded, wondering how to bring it up with Mike. He decided against it - he didn't think there was that much chance of Mike wetting the bed now - he was seven; he had been five when Harvey was in hospital. A lot could change in two years.

"I'll call you tomorrow about... whatever's happened," he told her, wanting to go back out and sit with Mike. "He'll... We'll need you to come over. I can't... I don't know how to cope with this on my own," he told her.

_"I'll come by," _she promised. _"How are you going to get out of work?" _

Harvey thought about it before swearing. "I don't think I can."

_"Bring him with you," _she told him. _"I'll look after him. It'll take his mind off it. Not even Louis will be able to deny him anything he wants. It'll be fine."_

"We'll see," Harvey replied. "I've got to go, Donna, the kid's sat out there on his own."

_"Call me."_

"I will," he promised, ending the call. He walked back out to eat his own - by now lukewarm - soup. "How was school, kiddo?" He asked, watching as Mike slowly ate his food.

He shrugged. "It was okay. We had a test."

"Yeah? What about?"

"History."

"How'd you do?" Mike threw him a look. "Of course," Harvey smiled.

Mike slid off his chair and rummaged in his backpack, pulling out his finished test and passing it to Harvey. The large red 30/30 screamed at him from the bottom of the page and he grinned at Mike. "Wouldn't expect any different," Harvey told him, ruffling his hair. "You want to stick this on the board?"

Mike nodded and found a magnet, sticking his work to the large board covered in colourful pen and magnets. "Add 2 stars as well," Harvey told him, finishing his food.

Mike turned to gape at the man. "I'm allowed to add some stars?"

"Can you reach them?"

Mike hastily nodded and reached up, fishing around in the small pot and adding the magnets. He gave a small grin at the sight before going back to the table. "You wanna know what Miss Attrill said today?" He asked.

_Not at all, evil bitch_, Harvey thought, remembering she had been harsh on Mike for a while after they had broken up before he reminded her that Mike had nothing to do with it. "What did she say, Mikey?"

"She was saying how I could go to college _now _if I wanted, and there's a law society at school that do mock trials and debates and I should sign up."

"Sounds like a good idea," Harvey nodded, picking up the now empty bowls and putting them in the dishwasher. "Are you going to do it?" He asked.

Mike shrugged. "Maybe. But the other kids didn't look happy when she said it."

"Screw the other kids, Mike," Harvey said, pulling him into a one-armed hug. "They're just jealous. Wait till you're managing partner of your own law firm by 25 and then see who's happy."

Mike giggled. "Do you want to work for me?" He asked as Harvey tickled him in retaliation.

"Sure, kid - no pro-bono's though," he said.

"I'll give them to Louis," Mike promised.

"Louis is going to work for you too, huh?" Harvey asked, smirking.

"I'm going to be _all _of your bosses!" Mike decreed, giggling. "I'm gonna get a job at Pearson Hardman and then it'll be Pearson, Hardman & Specter and even _Jessica _will work for me!" He giggled.

Harvey smiled and ruffled his hair, not wanting to say that it would no doubt soon just be Pearson the way Daniel Hardman was handling things. Harvey had never liked the man, and had even less reason to like him after he appeared back at the firm, announcing he wanted to take a more active role once more and had then scared Mike - who at that time was 4 and wanted to know who the new person was and had walked into his office to say hello.

After treating Mike like a prisoner in the Spanish Inquisition and grilling him mercilessly about why he was there, the little boy had burst into tears when the man had decided he needed to show him all the pictures from his 'hunting days' and explaining _why _the deer (which, when Mike wailed his story to Harvey later, he called 'Bambi's Mom') had it's guts spread out across the floor.

Mike had only been saved because Louis had been walking there to grease up to Hardman and suddenly had a four year old launch himself at him. After explaining for the tenth time, "Harvey, I swear I never do anything to your kid, I'm just always there when he's upset!" he hastily left the little boy with his dad.

Mike had been inconsolable for the rest of the day and when Harvey had to go for a meeting, he sobbed into Donna's cashmere jumper while she cooed to him and played a Disney soundtrack on her Spotify for him, in between Googling pictures of nice, cute, alive animals for him to look at and sending anonymous hate mail to Daniel Hardman's email address.

"Dad, when I'm your boss, do I have to pay you?" Mike asked, looking like he was thinking hard.

Harvey chuckled. "Yep - you think I don't expect you to pay me back for all the years of food and shelter I've given you for free?" He laughed at Mike's indignant expression and ruffled his hair. "C'mon, buddy - bath time."

* * *

><p>Harvey had managed to get Mike to bed without too much fuss and when he himself woke up the next day, he hoped not to get that call that would -<p>

_Ring... Ring..._

Shit.

Harvey sighed and answered his phone. "Hello?"

_"Mr. Specter?"_

"Yes."

_"Hello, I'm a nurse at - "_

"I know - look, just tell me."

_"I'm... I'm sorry?"_

"Mary Ross? Is she okay or...?" He didn't want to sound callous but he just wanted to know _now_.

_"I'm... I'm sorry Mr. Specter, she... she flat-lined in the night. I'm... I'm very sorry for your loss. I know this must be a tough time, and we'll be happy to give you any advice or guidance regarding arrangements to be made for the funeral."_

Harvey sighed, sitting down on his bed. "Either myself or my assistant will be there at some point to discuss arrangements."

_"Okay, Mr. Specter... Again, I'm very sorry - "_

He hung up.

He sighed again, sitting forward and clutching his head in his hands. Mike was still asleep. He didn't want to wake him up. He wanted Mike to have that last shred of hope for as long as he possible. He needed to talk to someone though.

He found himself calling his mother.

_"Hello?"_

"Hi, Mom," Harvey said wearily.

_"Harvey? Are you okay? You never call!" _She sounded cautiously delighted that her eldest had finally gotten in contact first.

"I know, I... I need some advice," he said.

_"Sweetie, what's wrong?" _She said, and there was a small bit of movement on her end - no doubt waving at his Dad who would also be wondering why Harvey had called.

"Mike's grandmother... Mary - she... she died last night."

_"Oh, Harvey," _she gasped. _"I'm so sorry... how's Mike? Shush, Vic!" _

Harvey winced in sympathy with his Father, no doubt only hearing her end and assuming Mike had been in some sort of accident. "I haven't told him yet. I just got the call now. We... she had a stroke yesterday and he definitely came to terms that there would be a possibility of her dying. But I don't know how to tell him..." He hated how small and pathetic his voice sounded.

_"It's best to just tell him," _she told him, albeit shakily. _"He's a smart boy, he'll have been expecting it. Oh, sweetie, I have to go but tell me when the funeral is - we'll come down."_

"I will," Harvey promised. "Bye, Mom."

_"Bye, sweetie."_

He sighed and then called Donna to update her on the situation. She immediately told him she would sort the arrangements and said she'd swing by later on. Harvey sighed and got off the bed, feeling about 80 years older. He gently pushed the door to Mike's room open, thankful that the kid was actually awake. He was sitting in the window, looking through a book and clutching his panda toy to his chest.

Harvey had a feeling H.B would get ignored for a few days after this in favour of Ollie the panda.

"Dad," Mike glanced up, smiling at him. "Wanna listen to my book?"

"Maybe later, baby," Harvey said, sitting cross-legged on Mike's floor, opposite him. This instantly made Mike pay attention, never hearing the endearment unless Harvey thought he was really upset, or if he himself was upset. "Listen - I got a call from the care home."

"And?" Mike asked, nervously, immediately putting the book to one side and squeezing his bear.

Harvey sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mikey," he said softly. "She didn't make it."

He watched Mike's face crumble, tears starting to come to the surface as he squeezed his bear tighter. "No," he croaked, closing his eyes and sobbing. "No, she was... I thought she'd get better..."

"So did I, buddy," Harvey pulled him onto his lap. Mike hid his face in Harvey's chest as the man rubbed his back. "I hoped she would but... that just didn't happen."

"I _miss _her!" Mike wailed.

"I know," Harvey whispered, close to tears himself. "I know you do, baby, I know..."

"Why did she have to die?" Mike cried, clutching tightly onto Harvey's sleeping shirt. "Why Grammy?"

"She was old, Mikey," Harvey breathed. "She was ready to go..."

"But _I_ wasn't ready!" Mike howled. "It's not fair!"

"It's not," Harvey agreed, rocking gently. "It's not fair at all, and I know you're going to be upset for a while; but just remember that your Grammy wouldn't want you to stay sad forever... she'd want you to be happy."

Mike hiccuped but nodded, sniffing but not being able to stop crying. "I don't... want to go into... school today," Mike told him, through big, heaving breaths.

"You're not going, monkey, it's okay - we can just stay here..." he tailed off, realising he had to go into work. "Mikey I have to go to work for a bit this afternoon," Harvey told him, biting his lip. "If you want, I can call Donna to stay here with you, or - "

"I wanna stay with you!" Mike cried.

"You want to come into work?" Harvey asked gently. Mike sniffed and nodded, before dissolving into another round of sobs. Harvey didn't say anything, and merely stayed where he was, shushing and rocking until Mike had tired himself out.

* * *

><p>When he'd gotten Mike dressed - the kid was acting like a four year old but Harvey didn't have the heart to scold him - they walked into the firm. Harvey let Mike stay close to him, clutching onto his hand and hugging his toy panda, getting snot and slobber on it as he hid his face in it.<p>

"Hi, sweetie," Donna said, crouching slightly to look Mike in the eyes. "Who's this?" She pulled at the panda's paw slightly.

"Ollie," he said quietly, before hiding his face again - this time in Harvey's suit. The man grimaced but just patted his head, shaking his head at Donna.

She nodded, seeming to understand and just ran her fingers through Mike's hair before going back to her desk. "C'mon, kiddo - I think you left some books and toys in here last time you were in," Harvey told him, gently guiding him in and pointing over to to a small stack of books on his coffee table (which had left a few clients cooing at the fact that he acknowledged his son's existence in the office, because, according to them - few businessmen did).

Mike walked over to the table and sat down, hugging Ollie. He sniffed and started chewing on his thumb, reading through the books half-heartedly. After flipping through them he glanced over at Harvey, seeing that the man was simply reading through a file. With that in mind he went over and climbed onto his lap, clutching his panda tightly to his chest.

"Hey, buddy," Harvey said softly in response to Mike climbing onto him, rubbing his back. "You okay?" Mike nodded, just wanting to be close to Harvey. The man nodded back, looking back down at the file.

"Daddy," he whispered.

"Yes, baby?"

"When's the funeral?"

Harvey paused, before replying. "I think it's next week, Mikey. We'll have to get you in your best suit, huh?"

"Grammy didn't like people looking sloppy," Mike sniffed.

Harvey smiled, hoping to draw small memories of her out of Mike, so he could focus on that. "Exactly," he paused again, thinking. "Mikey - is there anyone you know who should come to it?"

Mike shook his head. "She had friends at the care home," he said quietly. "And some favourite nurses. But I'm... I was all she had."

Harvey bounced him up and down slightly, realising that - if Mike had never changed; he would have been completely alone when this happened. Thankfully now he had the best support system possible.

"Is... Is Donna coming?" Mike asked.

"I don't think it would be wise to try and stop her," Harvey said, smiling.

"What about Grandma and Grandpa? Can they come?"

"Of course," Harvey replied. "You can invite whoever you like."

Mike got off Harvey's lap at that, leaving the room. "Mike!"

Donna shot him a look from outside that clearly said, 'I'll keep an eye on him, Boss,' so Harvey relaxed slightly, going back to work.

Louis walked into his office half an hour after that, looking confused. "Harvey, you could have _warned _me."

"Well sorry, Louis, but I thought you'd prefer not to know about your wife's shenanigans," Harvey smirked as he typed something on his laptop.

"Harvey."

Harvey looked up at Louis' serious tone, narrowing his eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me about Mike's grandmother?"

"What did you do?" Harvey asked, standing up.

"Nothing!" Louis squawked. "He just started telling me and then asked me to the funeral and then he started _crying_," he emphasised.

"So what did you do?"

"What _could _I do? I offered him my condolences and sent him to the snack machine."

Harvey blinked. "Right... Where is he now?"

"I had to let him watch a movie on my laptop."

"You got kicked out of your own office by a seven year old?" Harvey asked, grinning.

"The kid started laughing at the movie, Harvey! I preferred that over the crying!" Louis fidgeted uncomfortably and Harvey felt sympathy for him.

"Well, thanks, Louis," he said. "Just send him back in here when he's done."

"What am I supposed to do in the meantime?" Louis asked. "I can't do any work!"

"Use an associate's computer," Harvey shrugged. "Now will you leave? I have a meeting in ten minutes."

* * *

><p>His work day hadn't gone as badly as he thought it would. Mike finally got back to his office, letting Louis scurry back to his own. He stayed mostly quiet, hugging his panda and alternating between sitting on the couch, Harvey's lap or Donna's lap.<p>

When they got back home, Harvey ordered pizza, knowing he wouldn't have any luck feeding Mike something he didn't absolutely love. He tried to get the kid talking about anything, and soon succeeded as he started telling Mike stories from his own days as an associate. He had Mike laughing as he told the kid about the time he hid a frog in Louis' desk drawer - what made it better was that the man was deathly afraid of them.

When it came to tucking him into bed, Harvey took longer than he would usually - determined to see if there was anything the slightest bit wrong, or if there was something that could indicate a nightmare. Thankfully, Mike went to sleep easily and left Harvey with hope that - whilst yes, of course he missed his grandmother; he would be able to move on at some point.

However, just as Harvey was about to go to bed himself, a small face peered around the bedroom door. "Hey, Mike," he said softly, hoping the kid was half asleep. "What's up?"

"Had a nightmare," he said quietly through his thumb and Ollie - who was plastered to his face.

Harvey frowned sympathetically and held out his hand. "You want to sleep in here tonight?"

Mike nodded and took the offered limb, being walked to the bed. He got in it and snuggled in, his eyes closing whilst Harvey got ready, turning the lights off and sliding in.

"Daddy?"

"Mhmm?"

"Will you sing to me?"

Harvey blinked. "You want me to sing to you?"

"Yeah."

"What do you want me to sing?"

He felt Mike shrug and thought about what songs he knew. He was about to settle on 'Hushabye Mountain', which had always worked in the past when nap time wasn't going the way it should have been. Then he remembered what Mike had been saying to Mary the day before, when he was looking through the photo album. She used to sing to him - a song his mother used to sing...

"_Why are there so many songs about rainbows? And what's on the other side..." _He started to sing, feeling Mike freeze for a second before rolling to clutch onto him tightly, burying his face into his chest but also calming slightly.

Harvey kept singing, sometimes feeling Mike crying, other time feeling him join in. "... _Who said that every wish would be heard and answered, when wished on the morning star? Somebody thought of that and someone believed it - look what it's done so far. What's so amazing that keeps us star gazing and what do we think we might see...?_"

Harvey kept rubbing Mike's back, hoping that the song would be bringing back good memories and helping him sleep. "_Have you been half asleep, and have you heard voices? __I've heard them calling my name..._"

Mike gave a small sob but towards the end of the song he was breathing deeply, and his clutch of Harvey wasn't as tight. "_Someday we'll find it - the rainbow connection.. t__he lovers, the dreamers and me..._" Harvey finished, glad he could remember the words.

"Love you, Daddy," Mike whispered blearily, making Harvey start slightly, thinking the kid was asleep.

"I love you too, buddy," Harvey assured him. "Go to sleep..."

Mike did so, moving slightly so that his head was resting on Harvey's chest as he slept.

* * *

><p>The day of the funeral dawned - overcast, and raining slightly.<p>

_It's so cliché_, Harvey thought, frowning as he surveyed the graveyard. He felt sad that there weren't more people there. It was such a small gathering considering how amazing a woman Mary had been. Although she _had_ been old, Harvey mused, so she may have outlived many of her friends. There were some nurses from the care home, and some other residents.

In the small church Mary herself had chosen (she had wanted to be buried next to her husband) there was only about a dozen people. Harvey's parents were there, as was Nick, and Donna, Louis and Jessica were there as well.

"Mikey, are you ready to go in?" He asked, having been stood by the car for the last five minutes as Mike had a slight panic attack in the back.

He heard a strangled, "I think so," and looked in to see that Mike was constantly untying and retying the small bow tie he was wearing.

"C'mere, monkey," Harvey said, kneeling to fix it. He smiled and stroked Mike's cheek with his thumb. "Perfect. I think Grammy would pinch your cheek right now if she could. Guess I'll have to do it instead, huh?" He pinched it, causing Mike to squeal and giggle (in a slightly subdued way).

"Daddy, stop!"

Harvey smirked but stood up, holding his hand out. "Service can't start till we get there, Mike."

The small boy took Harvey's hand and walked with him into the small church. The service wasn't due to start for another minute, so there was a small amount of time for Mike to be overwhelmed with the sudden flock of people who caught sight of him. First Kathleen swept him into a hug - he clung on extra tightly to his remaining grandmother before jumping at his grandpa, breathing in the smell of fresh hay, tobacco and an odd smell of old books - the latter of which was a smell he'd come to associate with every Specter man.

Donna gave him a simple kiss on the forehead before tweaking his bow tie, smiling at him with watery eyes. Nick - having never really dealt with death before and having not a clue how to behave appropriately - pulled him into a bear hug, lifting him up and telling him that he was freaking him out, because he looked like Gage from 'Pet Sematary'.

Harvey prodded his brother in the side, causing Nick to put him down and grin guiltily, going back to sit with everyone at the pew they had grabbed near the front. Louis gave Mike an awkward pat on the head, stepping back to allow Jessica to - surprisingly - bend slightly and gave Mike a gentle hug. After being stunned for a few seconds, Mike closed his eyes and squeezed her back, resting his head on her shoulder.

The reverend gave a polite cough and they took their places.

Throughout the service, Mike didn't once let go of Harvey's hand, trembling slightly. Harvey kept brushing his thumb over the back of Mike's hand and squeezed it every so often.

When asked if he wanted to talk, Mike had shook his head fiercely and clung onto Harvey. The man sighed but also shook his head when asked if he wanted to talk. His own personal opinion was that anything he had thought or said about Mary was said to her face - she knew what he thought and how he felt. Saying it to a room of people who maybe didn't know her as well as he had wasn't appealing to him in the slightest.

Instead, some of her friends from the care home got up and talked about their memories of her, and a nurse she had been close to (who had mascara smudges down her face) talked haltingly about what an amazing woman she was.

It was a good service, and did Mary justice - Harvey just wished that it could have been acknowledged that Mary had raised Mike on her own with no one else's help. But he couldn't have his parents find out about Mike.

When the service finished, Harvey looked down at Mike to find tear tracks down his face. He wiped them away carefully with his thumbs before standing up as they walked outside to watch the burial.

Mike hid his face slightly in Harvey's side as the coffin was lowered and Harvey picked him up, managing to hold the seven year old boy as he had done when he was three. Mike buried his face in Harvey's neck, occasionally glancing back to watch. When it came to throwing pieces of earth onto the coffin, Mike was allowed the first one. His tight clutch of Harvey let the man know he wouldn't be putting him down, and instead stooped so Mike could grab some soil. Still holding Mike, he got some soil of his own, waiting for the boy to sprinkle his before throwing his own onto the mahogany casket.

When she was completely buried, Mike slowly got down from Harvey's hold, glancing at the dirty footprints he'd left on the expensive, woollen jacket.

"It's okay, it'll wash," Harvey said quietly, noticing what had Mike's attention. "Everyone's going inside for something to drink and eat - you want to come?"

Mike sniffed and shook his head.

"You want to go home?"

Another shake.

"Can I... can I have the flowers we brought?" Mike asked. Harvey nodded and went to the car, pulling out the flowers he had somehow neglected to take in - so preoccupied he had been when dealing with getting Mike out the car.

He passed them to the small boy, who looked over at the grave.

Harvey seemed to know what he wanted. "I'll be inside if you need me," he said, doing something out of character (and only used when tucking the kid in) and kissing him on the forehead, smoothing his hair back. Mike nodded and gave him a weak smile, waiting until he walked back inside with everyone else before walking up to the freshly dug grave.

"Uh... hi, Grammy," Mike whispered, shifting awkwardly. "I... I got Dad to buy some flowers - I got you chrysanthemums, 'cause I know they're your favourite. You told me that when... when Mom and Dad died and you picked some from this graveyard," he sniffed before glancing further off into the trees. "You said that the dead have no need for flowers and they're your favourite, so why should they have them? Then you... then you told me that if you ever saw me stealing flowers from graveyards you send me to bed without dinner," he gave a weak snort.

"But I think _you'll _have some use for them. 'Cause... 'cause you're... 'cause you're _you_. And, uh... thanks, Grammy," he whispered, putting the flowers down next to the stone. "I know it wasn't easy when you had to look after me when Mom and Dad... I just... I just want you to know that you're... you're the best..." he couldn't get out what he wanted to say, and soon he felt a warmth drip down his face.

"I'll come visit," he sniffed. "I promise. I... I'm gonna go say hi to Mom and Dad," he told the stone, crouching by it. "I... I love you, Grammy," he murmured, touching the stone. "I miss you but - you once told me that life doesn't stop for the living. I'm promise I'm gonna make you proud." He touched the grave but slowly edging away from it, turning and making his way through the trees to a little deeper in the cemetery.

* * *

><p>"Harvey, where's Mike?" Donna asked him, as they stood in the small room off to the side of the church, pretending to have appetites.<p>

"He's saying goodbye," Harvey muttered, glancing towards the doors and looking like he would much rather be out in the graveyard.

"He'll be okay," she said, resting her hand on his upper arm. "As much as I hate to admit it, he's been through it before."

Harvey shrugged, glancing back at the open doors. He should _be _there with the kid. Mike hadn't exactly asked to be alone, but Harvey had just assumed he _wanted_ to be left alone. But from previous experience, Mike preferred having him there. Just as he had made up his mind to leave, Donna's hand snaked around his bicep, keeping him in a tough grip.

"Harvey, you should leave him to it."

"You really think I should leave him on his own right now?" Harvey asked. "I know he's not going to do anything stupid - he's been amazing through all of this. I just want to be there if he breaks."

He pulled himself out of her grasp and walked out, slowing as he saw Mike crouched next to the gravestone. He was about to go over, when Mike stood and let his fingers trail the stone before leaving and walking further in, leaving the yellow chrysanthemums on the newly-dug soil.

Harvey followed at a slow pace; slightly curious and concerned as to where Mike was going.

It soon became obvious when Mike stopped at two stones close together, making Harvey's stomach twist slightly - he had forgotten that this was where Mike's parents were buried. He knew that Mary had wanted the whole family close together so she had made sure when they died she put them in the same graveyard as her dead husband.

Harvey slowly moved closer. He didn't want to eavesdrop but at the same time he didn't think Mike would actually mind.

"Hi, guys," Mike started, sniffing. "Uh... I think you know now that Grammy's... Grammy should be with you now, right? She'll... she's safe, right? And I looked after her," he added quickly. "I did - I paid for the home and I visited her whenever I could. She looked after me so well when you... Have you seen Harvey?" Mike suddenly asked, changing track. "Grammy always said you were looking down on me - so you must know who Harvey is. You'd like him, Dad - he's just as great as you were. Sorry, maybe just a bit greater - but you never let me go to the zoo!" Mike suddenly pouted and Harvey had to stop himself from chuckling.

"But you'd like him a lot. He's amazing, he's one of the two best dad's in the world," he said solemnly, gently touching his father's gravestone. "And Mom, I think you'd love him. He dresses really well - and he's like a mom too, so I guess I got the best of both with him," Mike smiled gently. "He's... he's doing what Grammy did. He's looking after me. Like Grammy did when you... when you went. He stops my nightmares," he said, chewing his thumb. "And he doesn't care how it looks, he'll do whatever he can to make me smile or laugh. He moans at me if my room's messy but then he helps me tidy it and makes it fun. He's..." Mike sniffed. "Mommy," he whispered slightly. "Daddy... just... look out for him, please? Now that Grammy's... I... I _can't _lose him too. Please make sure he stays okay..."

Harvey saw that Mike was starting to cry and quickly went over, gently placing a hand on Mike's shoulder. The little boy jumped but quickly realized who it was, turning into him and sobbing, feeling Harvey rub his back softly.

"It'll be alright, Mikey," he soothed quietly. "It'll be okay... it's okay..." he kept up shushing the small boy, not caring about the slightly damp grass making his knees wet as he knelt, letting Mike kneel on his lap, his arms around his neck.

After a few moments, Mike sniffed and turned slightly, facing the graves. "This is Harvey. He's my new dad."

Harvey rubbed Mike's back again. "Hi."

"He's really great," Mike sniffed again, rubbing at his eyes, getting mud on his face from kneeling on the ground and sometimes pulling at the grass and soil.

Harvey tutted and turned him to face him, rubbing it off. Mike squirmed and whined but Harvey held him firmly. "If he was half as messy as he is now, I don't know how you put up with all the dirty clothes," Harvey said to the gravestones. "And he needs a bath practically every night."

"That's not true," Mike giggled, looking down at his muddy hands.

Harvey grinned but looked at the graves. "Mr and Mrs Ross, in all seriousness - he's the best kid in the world. You should be proud. I know I am."

Mike gazed up at him with wide, watery eyes. Harvey smiled down at him and slowly moved him off his lap, standing up. "It's been nice meeting you and talking to you," he gave a gentlemanly bow to the graves. "But we should be going. I don't know why he hasn't come before now - don't worry, I'll bring him more often, I promise."

Mike ducked his head and mumbled an apology to his parents' graves before taking Harvey's hand (both of them now possessing very muddy hands) and leading him out of the trees and into the slightly less overgrown part of the graveyard.

Mike yawned, rubbing at his eyes, and Harvey looked down, raising an eyebrow. "I think someone should have an early night. You've been through a lot today."

"Not tired," he mumbled stubbornly.

"Uh-huh, sure you're not," Harvey grinned. "Let's go say bye to everyone and then we can go home. You want to say anything else to... to your Grammy before we go?"

Mike glanced over at the freshly dug grave a few of the care home nurses and patients were milling around. "No," he shook his head. "I've said goodbye. Can we come back some time?"

"Sure we can, Mike," Harvey replied. "Whenever you want."

Mike nodded and just waved at the stone, as if his Grandmother could see him, before they walked back into the small room the reception was being held in. Donna and Kathleen both came over and fussed over the mud, damp patches and grass stains on both Harvey and Mike's suits.

"We're heading off," Harvey told them. "Mike needs a bath and an early night."

"No, I don't!" Mike protested, even though he looked like he would happily fall asleep there.

"Oh, okay, darling - we'll see you - " his mother was interrupted as Nick heard what he said.

"What? C'mon, Harv - we've barely seen you for ages! Can't we all take this party back to yours? I have some amazing pictures to show you... that can probably wait till later," Nick hastily amended, as Harvey shot him a look.

"Can Uncle Nick come back? I wanna see the pictures! Did you get any good ones of the flowers I put on Grammy's grave? What about the stained glass? _Please_, Daddy? And Donna, and Grandma and Grandpa, and Louis and Jessica?"

Harvey rolled his eyes. Mike seemed to have picked up anything around them that Nick would be interested in and would potentially take a picture of - something as (in his opinion) mundane as flowers, for example; no one else would think to take pictures of them - apart from other photographers.

Harvey was worried about the example his brother was setting his son.

"Okay, everyone feel free to come back to mine," Harvey said, sighing. "But Mike _is _having a bath, and he _is _going to bed early. Okay?"

The little boy pouted but nodded, giggling as he looked out of the back of their car to watch the line of cars follow them out. He kept an eye on the yellow flowers by his Grammy's grave until they were out of sight. He sighed and slid down in his seat.

"You okay, kiddo?" Harvey asked, looking at him from the driver's seat, using the rear-view mirror.

Mike thought about it and nodded.

He would be.

* * *

><p><strong>AN I had not a clue how or when to end this - hence the longness of the chapter XD Few things - first off, him talking to his parent's graves and Harvey overhearing; that was an idea from the marvellous _Today-Only-Happens-Once _- thank you very much :P**

**Second, if anyone's seen the newest episode of Suits - and even if not I'm not spoiling anything but - OMG Harvey called Mike 'junior'! My head-canon is official canon because in my other fics he refers to him as this several times :D**

**Third - I know we've now been told Grammy's name is 'Edith' but I couldn't change it halfway through. In this fic she'll be forever Mary, but in any others I'll call her Edith.**

**Fourth - I wasn't sure how to make Hardman make Mike cry because he's not the type to yell at a little kid, so I thought he could be just trying to be nice and sociable and just fail miserably by showing Mike his hunting trophies (he looks the type to have been on a few safaris and what not :P)**

**Uh... I think that's it. I have a feeling it's not as angsty as I wanted - I apologise for that. Also if there are any mistakes I deeply apologise. Apart from that - hope you enjoyed it and I hope you enjoy the next chapter when I get round to it (I'm excited about it :D)**


	18. First Days And Sick Days

**Hey guys :D I'm really glad you all liked the last chapter (in a sad way, of course, but you still liked it nonetheless) :) I've been looking forward to writing this one for a while, hopefully it'll be good XD And this is quite similar to my last oneshot I posted, '_You're never gonna fit in much, kid_' - that's cause when I was writing this I was struck with inspiration for a oneshot XD**

**Mike's age: 19**

* * *

><p>Mike practically bounded out of the Dean's office. He toned down the obvious happiness and excitement when some 3rd year students walked past him, glancing over suspiciously. As it had been for most of his life, he was the youngest in his class. After gaining his bachelors at 16, he waited until he was 18 to move to Boston, to live and study at Harvard.<p>

He felt like was _finally _being challenged - he was _finally _having to work hard to get good grades.

Although apparently that wasn't the case - he had just been informed by the Dean that he would be graduating that year, with glowing letters of recommendation from the lecturers and the Dean himself.

Although there was only one place he knew he would end up.

As soon as he got back to his dorm room he grabbed his phone and called a familiar number.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey, Dad," Mike said, throwing himself down on his bed and crossing his legs over themselves as he lay there.

_"Mike?"_

"Don't sound so happy to hear from me," Mike deadpanned. He heard a small huff of laughter from the other end.

_"Sorry, kid, I'm going through some financials for something,_" Harvey sounded distracted, and Mike could just about hear the rustle of paper. _"Someone screwed up with bank records and now I'm trying to clean up for them." _

"Well that's nice," Mike said, yawning slightly.

_"It is, and I really need to get back to it," _Harvey replied. _"So if you just called to distract me, well done. I'll see you when it comes to cluttering up my car with your junk again. When is that?"_

"Next week," Mike reminded him, rolling his eyes. "And did you really think I'd call just for something like that? I've got some important news. I hope you're in easy distance of some champagne, or cubans or something."

_"Will scotch do?"_ Harvey asked, a definite smirk in his voice as he humoured Mike.

"I guess," Mike shrugged, his heart hammering in anticipation of telling Harvey.

_"Well get on with it before I can't contain my excitement any longer,"_ Harvey said, his voice completely calm and slightly bored.

"Okay, so I got called into the Dean's office today - and I thought I was just going to get the usual, y'know - 'I want to personally congratulate you on your outstanding work' spiel," Mike said, completely unaware it was only 'usual' for him. "Or maybe because it's the end of term, and he was just going to say it in regards to the whole year or something. So I got there and he said that because of my marks and mock trials and the apprenticeships I was doing and stuff..."

_"Mike, adding in a dramatic pause will _not _stop me from hanging up," _Harvey warned him.

"Okay, so basically - he told me I'm graduating this year," Mike said, bouncing up in his seat and grinning. "Providing I get the marks."

There was a short silence on the other end.

_"You're graduating this year," _Harvey said slowly. _"You'll have a law degree from Harvard. At 19."_

"Yeah, uh... Say something other than the facts," Mike said, getting slightly worried. "Like... your thoughts?"

_"I..." _He heard a breath being let out. _"You're graduating Harvard Law School at 19," _he said again. _"My... my son is graduating with a law degree as a teenager. My genius kid is graduating _now... _Shit, kid - you... You're amazing,"_ Mike heard him get up and was presumably pacing in his office. _"You're... my kid is graduating... You're technically an official lawyer... Donna always joked about you being a baby lawyer and now you technically _are _and... _my kid..."

"I'll call later when you can string real sentences together," Mike decided. "I'll talk to you later."

_"You're the best kid in the world."_

"Okay. I'll see you later, Dad," Mike smiled and hung up.

* * *

><p>Donna had been in stitches after the incident. She had been sat outside his office and heard him get a phone call. She ignored it until she heard him mention Mike. She loved hearing his conversations with the teen. Without hearing any of Mike's side, Donna always thought that Harvey sounded more like a worried father than he let on. Either that or someone humouring a toddler.<p>

_"Uhuh... Really? I don't know why she'd do that, kiddo... No, buddy, I don't think that's fair either... Yeah... Uhuh... Really? Aw, Mike, I'm sure it's fine... No, you can't... Go to the doctors... It's the flu... No... I'm not driving two hours to come get you and bring you home so that you'll feel better... Do you want me to? I will if... You said it first... I know... Really? Uhuh... No... I miss you too... Uhuh..."_

Donna remembered the hundreds of one-sided conversations and smirked as she remembered the time Harvey actually _had _driven down to Harvard to grab a sick Mike and bring him back to New York, regardless of his weak protests.

Donna had been interested in the latest conversation, but suddenly froze as she heard Harvey's voice - unbelieving and stupefied, say, "You're graduating this year."

She had watched with a shocked face as Harvey seemed to suddenly freak, pacing up and down and mutter to himself; making no sense as he did so. Eventually she saw him drop the phone in mute shock and pour a scotch for himself.

"Harvey," she quickly intervened. "It's 11 in the morning."

"Mike's graduating this year," he said, looking slightly stunned. "My 19 year old is graduating law school. He'll be looking for a job as a lawyer..."

"Yes," she said - seemingly not phased by this. "And you know where he'll end up eventually, don't you?"

"Mike..." Harvey gave a gasp again. "We're going to have a 19 year old working for us. My boy. He's going to be a real lawyer. At 19 - "

"Yes, Harvey, we've established this," Donna said calmly.

"Donna - Mikey's going to be the youngest lawyer ever," Harvey told her.

"That would probably come with the territory or graduating Harvard at 19. He'd have done it sooner if you hadn't kept him from going until now," she was about to say more when Harvey suddenly left the room. She followed, slightly wary of her newly-maddened boss. "And technically there are plenty of other genius' who are probably younger lawyers than him," she added, wondering if that would in any way calm him down.

Instead, he laughed.

She felt her eyes widen and felt more concern flow through her.

She had known that eventually, Mike would drive Harvey to insanity.

She hadn't realised that it would be because he'd done something extraordinarily well.

"Harvey, how can I help you?" Jessica asked, as he walked into her office. She technically couldn't really help with much anymore - at least, not with him. The firm was now (and had been for 3 or 4 years) Pearson - Specter. When Harvey was made a managing partner, for a few years he and Jessica were still at odds with Daniel Hardman. Then, he suddenly quit - split his clients between them, took his name off the sign... and left.

(They eventually found out it was because his daughter had found out about the many mistresses he'd had whilst his wife was ill, and he was trying like hell to find her and make peace with her - she'd apparently disappeared off the face of the earth)

Harvey laughed again and Jessica glanced at Donna. "Has he been drinking?"

Donna shook her head.

"Mikey," he laughed, shaking his head. Jessica cocked her head and sat back, crossing her legs. "He called me just now."

"How's he doing?" She asked.

"Great," he laughed again. "He just called to tell me he's graduating this year."

"I know," Jessica said.

"You..." Harvey faltered. "How do you know?"

"I got a letter from the Dean telling me so," she said, smiling. "Apparently when asked about his aspirations in the future, Mike only had one firm on his mind. And the Dean wanted me to know that we could benefit hugely from his presence here, especially as he's graduating soon and will be looking for a job. Of course - we have to wait for his results," Jessica said. "He's not getting hired just because his father's name's on the door."

Harvey gave a somewhat manic laugh again. "We'll be hiring a teenager," he said. "The other associates will be about 10 years older than him..."

"He's lived with that his whole life," Jessica reminded him. "Remember that mock trial you invited me to? I seem to recall him doing his closing argument and then sitting down and pulling an action figure from his bag to play with while the jury deliberated."

Another manic laugh came from him as he remembered, before he suddenly drew a breath. "What if he gets bullied again?" He worried. "It happened at school because he was younger. And you know hazing's bad here anyway. What if they do something to him? I can't let him work here - how is he graduating _now_? He's 19, he won't be able to get an apartment yet because he won't have any money - he can't live on his own anyway, he barely survived at Harvard - he's so skinny now, he - "

"Donna, get him a paper bag or something," Jessica said, while Harvey continued to freak out and babble. "Harvey, he's coming to work here and that's final. It's the least we can do for him after he turned you into a nicer person."

Harvey stopped his freaking to look slightly hurt before he realised yet again that his baby boy was going to be working at the firm. At _nineteen_.

"Donna where's that bag?" He asked, panicking all over again.

The assistant deftly produced the bag for him to breathe into and then started laughing.

* * *

><p>Harvey enlisted the doorman and security guard into helping moving Mike's possessions back into his condo. He didn't even have that much - it was all books. Harvey had tried to persuade Mike to buy a kindle, but the kid preferred turning pages and having the smell of the book present. Apparently he liked rereading books as well, even though after one read he had every word, punctuation mark and page number committed to memory.<p>

When everything was dumped in Mike's room, the kid was surprised to find a few of his old toys out of storage and in a box underneath his bed.

Harvey shrugged when he was asked about it and simply pulled him into a hug. "Welcome home, kiddo."

Mike beamed and hugged him back hard. When he pulled away, Harvey frowned. "Did you eat at all when you were at college?" He asked - the same question he always did when Mike came home for holidays. "Was it money? Because I kept telling you I could give you some, you didn't need the scholarship - "

"Dad, it's fine - it wasn't money; the government gave me enough," Mike told him, shaking his head. To be honest, now that he was having to put a bit of effort into work, he went into overdrive (partly the reason he was graduating early) - and it often got to night time and he realised he hadn't eaten. Which led to him just drinking some red bull and eating some crackers.

Harvey always tried to feed him up whenever he saw him, but Mike looked set to always remain a beanpole.

"So when do I get my graduation gift?" He asked, smirking.

Harvey shook his head. "I still can't believe you."

"You really thought it would take me three years?"

"I hoped it would," Harvey replied. "How am I supposed to go through with my plan of turning your room into a gym if you're not here?"

"Hey, I'll move out as soon as I get a job - "

"You're not moving anywhere," Harvey told him. "You're staying until you have a solid job, with enough money, and when I think you can look after yourself."

"Dad, I'm not a little boy - "

"You'll always be my little boy," Harvey said, smirking. "Just hold your horses for now, okay? Go relax for a bit, I'll make some dinner."

Mike shrugged and flopped onto the couch. The weeks of constant all-nighters of cramming before exams, packing his dorm room to come home for Summer and the excitement and nerves regarding his impending graduation had taken their toll and he was exhausted. He pretended to be watching the large TV he had gotten used to not having whilst in Boston but soon dozed off into a gentle nap, only to be woken twenty minutes later.

"Up and at 'em, kid - you won't get any sleep tonight if you sleep now."

Mike groaned but got up, making his way to the table and not even caring what he was eating. It just felt nice to have a home cooked meal.

"If all it took for you to eat green beans was for you to be denied real food at college, I'd have sent you a long time ago," Harvey observed, smirking at him.

Mike smiled back. "Hilarious, as ever, Dad."

They ate quietly, and Harvey felt - as he always did on holidays - that the condo felt full again. He hadn't liked living on his own when Mike went to college and was secretly glad he would be living with him for a bit afterwards until he had enough money for a place of his own. Or maybe till he was 21. That was a good age for him to leave home, right?

That gave him a whole two years.

"So when can I move out?"

Give or take.

* * *

><p>Harvey hadn't even been surprised the day Mike got his end of year results. He had known the date they came out, but hadn't know you could get them early in the morning. Which was why he <em>had<em> been surprised for his bedroom door to be flung open and for Mike to jump on his bed.

"I'm pretty sure this stopped being cute when you were 6," Harvey groaned, sitting up because he knew Mike wouldn't be doing it for nothing. The kid was jittery with excitement and his eyes were shining.

"So, my results came out today," Mike told him, grinning.

Harvey cocked his head. "And?"

"Top of the class in everything so overall I was Number 1 in the year and I'm definitely graduating with honours."

There was silence before he was tackled into a bear hug on the bed. He gasped out a surprised laugh and pushed Harvey off him, grinning stupidly. "I guess you're kinda proud?"

Harvey grinned back. "Kinda."

* * *

><p>"Dad, where are we going?" Mike whined slightly, having been forced to wake up at the - as he had said - 'ridiculous' time of 10am.<p>

"Graduation gift," Harvey told him, turning down a small side street and parking the car. Mike had graduated earlier in the week; and when he stepped up to receive his diploma, there was a loud torrent of applause from a large section of the audience watching. Although they'd only been allowed two guests, apparently Jessica had spoken to the Dean, and so a large section was actually just Mike's family.

He didn't think he'd ever forget the look on Harvey's face when he stepped up to shake the dean's hand. It actually had him reeling - he didn't think he'd ever really had someone look _that _proud in regards to something he'd achieved.

After they had taken the pictures, Mike was taken into such a large hug he felt himself being physically lifted off the ground. He hugged back just as hard, and very nicely refrained from pointing out the dried tear tracks down Harvey's face.

He had to comment on Donna's mascara lines though.

Thankfully, when Nick pulled him to one side to congratulate him, he laughed when he was told that his uncle had gotten pictures of the both of them crying at the ceremony.

"I was thinking maybe a car, or a cheque or something," Mike told him as they got out. "Is this a bank? Do you just need to..." he trailed off, noticing where they were. "Rene's? You're uh... you're giving me a suit for my present?" He tried desperately hard to keep the disappointment out of his voice. He hadn't _really _been expecting a car _or _money... but he definitely hadn't been expecting a new suit.

However, Harvey just smirked and pushed him in, smiling at the woman inside.

"Afternoon, Cecilia," Harvey greeted her.

"Monsieur Specter!" She grinned and kissed him on the cheek. "Bonjour!"

"Cecilia, this is my son, Mike," he introduced.

"Ah, Mike, it is a pleasure to finally meet you," she said, speaking with a fairly heavy French accent. "Your fazzer 'as already told me so much about you!"

"Oh," was all Mike could say in response. "Uh... thanks. Um... nice to meet you," he shook her hand, stilling slightly as she leant in and kissed his cheek as well. Harvey smirked at the red colour he had flushed and nudged him slightly with his shoulder.

"We need some of his expertise - is he in?"

"Ah, but you should 'ave made an appointment!" Cecilia told him. "You know 'e only works by appointment only!"

"I'm sure for me he won't mind," Harvey said, winking at Cecilia, who rolled her eyes.

Suddenly, a voice came from the doorway towards the back of the shop. "Harvey, you know I'm retiring soon - are you just trying to make the most out of me before my nephew takes over?"

"Rene," Harvey said, warmly shaking the man's hand. "And this isn't for me," he looked back at Mike, who smiled at the familiar face. "I need you to do your thing and make Mike a few suits."

"Anything for a Specter," Rene announced. "Apart from - "

"I know, I know," Harvey rolled his eyes. "But that was years ago - surely you're over it?"

"Harvey, your brother _molested _my assistant in the changing room!" Rene exclaimed, as Cecilia began measuring Mike; who still blushed faintly, keeping his gaze fixed on the wall opposite.

"She was 10 years older than him, and as I recall, it was _very _mutual," Harvey reminded him, flinching at the memory. "That was something I could have lived without hearing."

"The point still stands that he _besmirched _my good name!" Rene said dramatically.

Harvey rolled his eyes. "Come on, Rene - the only thing that was 'besmirched' was the changing room. And he bought a suit afterwards."

"Can we please change the subject?" Mike begged, not wanting to think about his uncle's sex life.

Harvey laughed and went to the rails, looking through the different suit types on offer. "Rene, these are exquisite. Possibly better than the previous line."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Harvey," Rene said, jotting down Mike's measurements before walking around the teen, surveying him with a professional eye. "And possibly to my usual exclusive 15% discount, if you're lucky."

"How many times have I told you that I don't need a discount?" Harvey asked, the corners of his lips pulling upwards.

"Only a fool turns down discounts, Harvey," Rene said, sounding like he'd said this quite a few times already. "Okay," he suddenly snapped into a businesslike tone. "I think I can work with this."

"Uh... thank you?" Mike offered, glancing at Harvey.

Harvey smiled. "Do your best, Rene - these suits are for his graduation present, so he needs to look as good as possible."

"I'm flattered, Harvey," Rene smiled at him. "That's what you decide to give your son for graduating?"

"No, this is just a warm up for his present," Harvey replied warmly. "But I'm sure you should feel flattered, all the same."

"Hmm," Rene narrowed his eyes before taking Mike into the back. "Come along, young man - by the time I'm finished you'll look smarter than your father."

Harvey laughed at that, doubting it - he knew that however much Rene would push, Mike wouldn't budge when it came to three piece suits.

* * *

><p>"Nice," Harvey grinned as Mike was paraded in front of him in different suits. "Very nice. You've outdone yourself, Rene."<p>

"Oh please," Rene scoffed, although there was a proud smile underneath it. "What do you think, Michael?"

Mike looked at the suit in the mirror and nodded, smiling.

"I'm amazed he got you to let him wear a skinny tie," Harvey said, rolling his eyes at the item of clothing in question.

"We compromised," Rene said. "He has one suit with a waistcoat and _one _grown-up tie."

Mike stuck his tongue out at Rene before looking over at Harvey. "Well? Now I look better than you - what's my present?"

Harvey smiled and stood up from the seat he had been lounging on, waiting for Rene and Mike to be done. He reached into his inner jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope, offering it to Mike.

Mike took it eagerly and ripped into it, looking exactly like the teenager he was, even in the suit. He paused as he unfolded the letter, seeing the 'Pearson-Specter' letterhead. He glanced over to Harvey, before looking back down, reading the letter.

Harvey watched Mike's eyes flying over the page, knowing how fast his son read. He watched as Mike's expression changed slowly as he read it, from confusion, to wide-eyed shock, to elation, nervousness and - finally - excitement. He looked up to see that Harvey was watching him.

Mike smacked into him in a hug, hugging him tightly and hearing the paper rattle as his hands shook slightly. "Thank you," he gasped. "Thank you so much, I promise I won't let you down, I'll be the best associate in the world, I promise - "

Harvey huffed a laugh and finally pulled Mike off him. "I'm expecting to see that one waistcoat and grown up tie at least once a week," Harvey warned him, a grin on his face.

"Am I working for a partner?" Mike asked, swiping at his eyes quickly, in case Harvey mistook the brightness in them for _tears_. Ha, yeah right. Tears.

"No one's been promoted recently," Harvey told him. "So no one's looking for an associate. You'll be working in the bullpen, doing whichever partner's work is assigned to you."

"Can I do yours?"

"Managing partners don't really _have _associates," Harvey said, before looking to be deep in thought.

"Please?" Mike begged.

"Don't do that," Harvey said, swatting him on the head slightly, knowing how easily he could fold when Mike turned the puppy-eyes on him. He turned to look at Rene and Cecilia. "Thank you, Rene - he looks set to be the best associate Pearson-Specter has ever seen."

Rene smiled and took a small bow. "I'm assuming I'm putting this on the tab?"

"I'll pay it when I come in for my Winter wardrobe," Harvey told him.

Rene rolled his eyes but nodded. "Until next time then," he shook Harvey's hand before shaking Mike's, stepping back and looking incredibly proud of himself.

"Goodbye, Mike," Cecilia said, swooping in to kiss him on the cheek. "I 'ave no doubt I shall see you anuzzer time," she then turned to Harvey. "'Arvey," she kissed him on the cheek. "It was a pleasure, as always."

Harvey nodded, keeping his grip on her waist that he had gotten when she had leant in for another few seconds before drawing back, giving her a small smile and a nod. "Bye, Cecilia," he said in a low voice, before leaving the store, prompting Mike to quickly wave at them before hurrying to catch up.

"What was with that?" He asked, skidding around, the garment bags he was holding hanging treacherously by his arms.

"What was with what?" Harvey asked, taking the suits from him and lying them carefully down on the back seat of the car. "Careful with these."

"You," Mike replied, getting into the passenger seat. "And Cecilia."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Harvey said, feigning ignorance and starting the car, backing out of the parking lot to go back home.

"Liar. You - " Mike stopped, watching Harvey with narrowed eyes. "You had a thing with her, didn't you?"

"We may have a bit of history," Harvey said carefully. "Not that it's really any of your business."

Mike snorted. "Like it's none of _your _business who _I _date?"

"It's _all _of my business who you date," Harvey replied. "I have a responsibility to screen any girlfriends and make sure they're not with you because of me."

"Wow," Mike shook his head. "Of course - they were definitely all using me to get to _you_."

"You know what I mean," Harvey said. "They could be with you for the money."

"And how do you know Cecilia wasn't?" Mike asked. "Or that string of ones you had when I was 6?"

"I wouldn't call it a _string_ - " Harvey said, slightly uncomfortable because he knew where this was going.

"And when I _walked in on you and _two _women _- " Mike added, looking revolted at the memory.

"You should have been in bed," Harvey defended himself, shifting awkwardly in his seat.

"You should have been quieter!"

"Okay, how about a no-talking rule for the rest of the trip?" Harvey suggested. Mike shuffled down in his seat and looked away, his arms crossed and his bottom lip sticking out in a pout. Harvey rolled his eyes. _This _was the firm's new associate?

When they got back home, Mike carefully put the suits in his wardrobe, nearly falling over the unpacked boxes in his way.

"You may as well unpack, kid," Harvey said to him.

"I just want to be prepared," Mike told him, glancing around at the boxes. "For when I find a place of my own."

"Well that won't be for a while, kid, so you can start being less prepared and unpack the boxes."

"I thought," Mike glanced down, before looking back up, looking confused. "I thought you'd want me to leave..." He trailed off.

"Why would I want you to leave?"

"Dad, I'm not a kid anymore," Mike pointed out. "I have a job. At _your _law firm. You don't want me living here."

"Of course I do," Harvey replied, opening the wardrobe to check that mike had hung the suits up properly. "I want you living here until you're ready to live on your own. Just... at least until you're not just a first-year associate," Harvey told him. "Will you give me that?"

Mike bit his lip but nodded, smiling at Harvey when the man kept looking at him.

* * *

><p>When Mike walked into the firm, he felt as if time had slowed down. He had been there hundreds of times before - probably straight after the condo, <em>this <em>was where he'd spent the majority of his time. He walked past the security guard - who had known him since he was about 14 and so just smiled at him, not even realising that he had an employee badge in his hands.

He hadn't worn the three-piece, nor had he worn the 'grown up' tie he had been forced into getting. His suit still looked sleek and smart, even with the skinny tie, and the new messenger bag (he had bought that with his own money, not giving Harvey a choice when it came between that and a briefcase) was hanging casually off his shoulder.

He was told on his first day to report to the managing partners, so he wasn't really nervous when he walked up to Harvey's office - somehow knowing that they would want to meet him in there. He gave a grin to Donna, who was sat at her post, sorting through mail. The wedding ring on her finger glinted as she did, reminding Mike of the day he and Harvey had gone to her house, dragging Jeremy out to look at rings.

Mike always thought that it was creepy, but thankfully Jeremy had been wanting to propose for a while - he just needed that last little push. She was still Donna Paulson; they all knew she wouldn't change her name. Mike had given up hope of having a little cousin (because Donna was virtually family) because she seemed to have exhausted all of her maternal power on making sure he himself hadn't died growing up with Harvey.

She'd make an awesome mom - he'd called her 'Mommy' quite a few times when he was younger; and if it was a particularly poignant or emotional moment, 'Mom' would slip out even now.

"Excuse me, am I in the right place to see Harvey Specter?" He asked her, trying and failing to keep the grin from showing on his face.

She glanced up at his voice but also schooled her features into ambivalence. "You must be his 9am," she said, looking at her computer screen. "You're five minutes late - is there a reason I should let you in?"

"I'm just trying to ditch the cops," he told her. "I don't really care if you let me in or not."

Her face broke out into a large grin and she glanced over at Harvey, who had been watching them talk through the windows, and gave him a wink. She saw him chuckle and shake his head, before turning back to Mike. "You can go in," she told him, smiling.

"Thanks, Donna," he said, before leaning in slightly. "How do I look? For my first day; does it look alright?"

"You look great, Mike," she told him, her eyes watering slightly. "You look sharper than the rest of the associates put together."

He gave her a smile and turned to walk into the very familiar office before he heard her say, "I'm so proud of you, sweetie."

He glanced back and smiled again, giving her a thumbs up as he continued walking backwards, into Harvey's office. He turned as he got in, grinning at both Harvey and Jessica.

"Mr. Specter," Jessica said, smiling. "It's good to see you."

"You too," he grinned, before looking over to Harvey. "Hi, Dad. Next time, can I get a ride in with you? I lost my bike helmet, and I know you don't - "

"We'll get another one," Harvey told him, not looking thrilled at the idea that Mike was cycling through New York sans his helmet.

"Michael, I want to make it clear that your standing in this firm is _not _reliant on your name being on the sign," Jessica told him, becoming serious. "Just because your father is a managing partner does _not _mean you can get away with anything that another associate wouldn't. We still expect hard work and effort. Based on the letters we got from the Dean and several others, including your results and your degree - it won't be too long before you'll be considered for the partner track. Just keep working hard."

"I will," he promised.

"And I also want to talk to you about something else," she said, sitting on the couch. Mike glanced over at Harvey, who motioned for him to sit as well. He hastily did so, waiting for Jessica to start speaking.

"Mike; you're only 19," she started. "I'm very much aware that you're responsible and mature enough to do this job - but other people may not think so," she told him. "I'm not going to lie - there will be quite a few times when your ability will be doubted and - I know I'll sound condescending," she warned, "but there will be times when your confidence will suffer because of this. You know what the other associates are like. If they get the first hint of weakness they go for the throat," she told him.

He nodded. "I know," he said. "But I'll be fine. I can do this - I'll school those douches and be the best lawyer that you have ever seen."

Harvey smirked, knowing that was the line that had him sold on hiring Mike the first time round.

"Well then," Jessica stood up. "I'm assuming you don't need an orientation?"

He grinned. "I don't think so."

She nodded. "One of our paralegals will take you to your desk."

Mike nodded and grinned at Harvey, giving him a thumbs up before leaving the office behind Jessica, greeting this paralegal. Rachel had long since passed the bar and gone to Harvard, and was now a junior partner at the firm. Several of the associates Mike had known had since either left the firm, gone on to better things and one or two were junior partners. Louis was now a senior partner (and poor Harold was still his associate) and Mike was quite glad he wouldn't be under a partner.

He would already attract enough attention being the age that he was.

* * *

><p>He had been sat at his desk for all of a minute before several associates made their way over. "Hey," one of them said, looking slightly wary of him. "Are you lost?"<p>

"No," he glanced up - unsure of whether this was the prelude to a joke or if the guy genuinely thought he shouldn't be there. "Why?"

"Uh... _you're _the new associate?" The guy asked.

"Yeah," Mike nodded.

"You're just a kid."

"I'm a legal adult," Mike told him, glancing up at him. "I've got a full degree from Harvard, just like you."

"Okay," he guy held up his hands. "No offence meant. I'm Aaron," he held his hand out.

"Mike," he introduced himself. Thankfully, he'd only really interacted with the associates when he had been younger. He'd mostly stopped hanging around the office when he was 12 - those associates who were still there wouldn't really recognise him. He'd had to accompany Harvey on a few firm socials when he got to about 15 and he'd seen a few of them glancing at him - knowing Harvey had a son but not really paying much attention to him.

He realised he kind of preferred it that way.

"So how old are you?" Another associate asked.

"How old are_ you_?" Mike shot back.

"27," the associate said, looking confused that Mike had turned the question back on him. "Now your turn," he said slowly, as if Mike was an idiot.

"19," Mike replied, trying not to fidget underneath their stares.

"Seriously?" One of them said. "You're a teenager."

"So?" Mike said, looking up. "I graduated Harvard this year; I think that proves I'm probably _better _at my job than you are."

"Wow, sorry, kid - did we hit a nerve?" One of them asked. "One dig at his age and he spits his pacifier out," he joked to the surrounding associates.

Mike breathed out slowly, trying not to let them get to him. "Look, I've already been assigned some work, can we maybe continue this a different time?"

"Aw, from who? H.R? You need help spelling out your name?" One asked, smirking.

"I think I can handle the word 'Specter' just fine," Mike said coolly, watching in satisfaction as they all seemed to gape, rendered speechless. He stared at them all a second longer before looking back down, going through the case that Jessica had already handed him - apparently she needed someone fast to go through it; and she needed the key things memorising.

"Specter," Aaron said, looking disbelieving. "As in, 'Pearson-Specter'? That Specter?"

"No, the one that floats around basements shouting 'boo'," Mike replied disdainfully. "Yes that Specter. Are we done?"

"Shit, I remember you!" One of them (Mike vaguely recognises him as _Josh_) pipes up, looking shocked. "Michael Specter; yeah, my first week I heard Mr. Litt yelling at someone because they'd taken your... what was it?" He thought for a while as Mike's cheeks began to inflame. He knew what the guy was talking about. "That's it!" Josh said victoriously. "Yeah, someone had taken your teddy bear and hidden it in the associates' fridge!" He started laughing. "I remember! Little blonde kid crying for this bear; H.B I think it was! You carried it around for like, three weeks afterwards!"

The other associates were in hysterics at this - clearly just imagining the nineteen year old Mike wailing for his bear (and right now, Mike really did feel like finding it and curling up on the couch) rather than the 8 year old that Josh remembered.

"Aw, poor Mikey!" One of them cried out. "Don't worry, kid - I promise I won't hide any toys you want to bring to work; you know, for nap time or something."

Mike closed his eyes, knowing that this would just be the tip of the iceberg. Some stories from various partners or old associates would trickle into the bullpen one way or another and soon they would have a weaponry of embarrassing stories from his childhood.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you looked at it) he had been through the same thing his whole life. Being smarter than people 10/20 years older than you often made them bitter; and they turned on you. They would snatch whatever opportunity they could and would use it mercilessly to try and prove themselves better.

"Alright; I've got a question," Mike said, and they all shut up, looking over in mild interest. "What kind of disciplinary action gets taken around here?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean - do the managing partners ever get involved in harassment complaints?"

"Sometimes," Aaron replied. "I think Mr. Specter fired someone once; and a few times he's had to deal with some associates."

"Okay - now just imagine being reamed out by the _Managing Partner _of the law firm you work at," Mike said. "And now imagine he also knows you've been harassing his _only _child."

He buried himself back in the paperwork. He really hadn't wanted to pull the 'son of the owner' card - at all. But he was already sick of them all and it was only - he checked his watch - ten minutes into the work day.

Thankfully, as news of his parentage spread, he was left alone and throughout the day he had less and less comments thrown at him.

It made him feel oddly lonely.

When it got to lunch and they all left to go get something to eat, Mike stood up too. He knew what Harvey would say if he didn't eat something - so he decided to go say hi to Donna first, as he hadn't seen her in a while. He also kinda wanted to see his dad.

As he rounded the corner he saw Donna tidying her desk, about to leave for lunch. "Hi," he said, giving her a small smile.

She beamed as she saw him. "Come here." She pulled him into a hug, squeezing him slightly before pulling back. "I've been wanting to do that all day. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he smiled at her. "Is Dad in?"

"Oh, I hadn't realised you'd want to..." She tailed off, looking troubled.

"Donna?"

"He just left to go get lunch. I'm sure if he'd known that you wanted to go with him, he'd have stayed..."

"It's fine, Donna," Mike shrugged. "Don't worry about it; I only wanted a free meal."

"Do you need money?" She asked him, going to her purse. "I can give you a couple of dollars if you want to get something to eat?"

"It's alright," he laughed it off, pushing her purse back towards her. "I'm not that hungry anyhow."

"Are you sure?" She asked, frowning. "Harvey said that the measurements from Rene's fitting were actually thinner than last time. Why aren't you eating?"

"Donna, I am eating!" He protested. "I'm fine! I'll go get something now, alright?" She nodded, looking unconvinced. "Do you, uh..." he rubbed at the back of his head. "Do you know when Dad's gonna get back?"

She shook her head. "I can call him, if you want?" She offered.

"Doesn't matter," he shook his head.

"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked him, wanting to pull him towards her and not let go.

"I'm fine," he lied. "Don't worry. I'll see you later." He gave her a grin and left, his stomach twisting. It wasn't like separation anxiety or anything; he wasn't that bothered that Harvey wasn't there. It was more the fact that he wasn't there when Mike _assumed _he would be. When Mike thought he would maybe wait for him, take him to lunch on his first day.

He glanced at the bullpen and saw no one there. He wasn't a social butterfly by anyone's standards, but he really did crave social interaction - and he really didn't want to sit on his own, eating.

Dammit, he felt like he was back in high school all over again!

He was determined not to eat his dinner in the toilets.

* * *

><p>When he got back from the toilets, he found the stack of work he had completed on the morning was gone. In it's place, was a small post-it that simply said, '<em>Come to my office.'<em>

It hadn't been signed, which mean it must have come from Harvey. He usually signed any note or letter to Mike with '_Dad x'_ - and the 'x' was only after years of being conditioned to show affection to his son. The fact it wasn't signed showed that Harvey didn't want the other associates to have anything else on Mike they already had. He shoved the note into his pocket and went to Harvey's office, smiling at Donna, who looked sad.

"Are you okay?"

"You boys are unbelievable!" She said to him, causing him to shrink back and wish he was already in the safety of the office. "Why do you never _talk_?"

Mike guessed this 'talk' was more the women's' version of 'let me tell you all about my feelings while you tell me yours' rather than the, 'Mike I'm busy, stop babbling at me' than he was used to.

He just didn't respond to the woman and walked in, smiling and sinking down on the familiar couch.

"Will you ever learn to knock?"

"I gave up when I didn't get an answer that time when I was six, and there were those two women - "

"The point _is_," Harvey drowned him out, "is that this is where I work. Where we _both _work. You have to knock."

"But I've never knocked before," Mike blinked, looking genuinely confused. "What is this? Where's the 'Hi, son, how's your first day been so far?'?"

"Hi, son, how's your first day been so far?" Harvey obediently parroted, a smirk on his face. "Knock next time."

"Right," Mike grumbled, sinking further back into the cushions of the couch. "It's been okay. I'm bored."

"Is that the only thing that's bothering you?" Harvey asked, looking concerned.

"Nothing's bothering me."

_Apart from the fact that I'm being bullied again and that my Dad wasn't there when I needed him._

Harvey frowned, looking thoroughly unconvinced. "Mike - what's wrong?"

"Nothing!"

"You expect me to believe that the associates haven't said _anything _about the fact that you're younger than them?" He asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Well, obviously there have been a few things, but... y'know, nothing... nothing that I can't handle," he said, looking down at his hands twisting in his lap. He heard a sigh and soon felt the couch dip as Harvey sat next to him.

"Do I need to call people's parents?" He asked, and Mike looked up to see a slight smile on his face.

Mike huffed a laugh out. "No, I think I'll be fine. You need to worry less."

"Occupational hazard of parenting," Harvey told him with a smirk. "What else is wrong?"

"Dad, _nothing's _wrong, you - "

"Mike, Donna said you there was something off with you at lunch," Harvey said.

Mike shot a glare out of the room to the desk that Donna was sat at, pretending she wasn't listening. "It's nothing."

"Mike I'm very close to grounding you; stop stonewalling me and tell me what the hell's going on!"

"It's nothing!" Mike insisted. "I just came here thinking you would maybe wait to take me out for lunch or something; y'know, for my first day of work. I kinda... that's what dad's _do_, isn't it? I'd have hoped you would do it even if I was working somewhere else," Mike cast his gaze down, a frown on his face.

"I didn't think you'd want to go to lunch with me," Harvey said, looking surprised. "I thought you'd have enough problems without being seen as having lunch with your boss. I left early so you couldn't..." He sighed. "Sorry, kid."

Mike shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I have work to do," he said, standing up.

"No you don't," Harvey told him.

"Well... so?" Mike shot back weakly. "Do you have any work I could be doing?"

"Not right now," Harvey told him. "You need to go to the library."

"Why?"

"Mock-trials just happened to coincide with your first day," Harvey said - not looking thrilled about it.

"Oh," Mike replied, before a wide grin appeared on his face. "Cool."

* * *

><p>He wasn't even nervous. He supposed he <em>should <em>be, but he wasn't. He'd done so many mock trials over his life - some when he was only 8 or 9 - that he really was prepared for anything.

Apparently the other associates were under the assumption that Mike would just fail. They sniggered slightly as he was pitted against Nicole - who seemed to be the alpha associate and who reminded Mike of one of the brides of Dracula. He didn't trust her one bit, despite how nice she was to him. He'd had enough false friendliness in his life to know when someone was just being fake to get closer for their own means.

"Don't worry, Mike - I've been through hundreds of these before," she said in a sweet way. "If you need any help, you can come to me. I know I'm your opposition, but you can still come to me."

"Thanks, Nicole," he said, acting equally nice. He was glad they underestimated him - it would make it that much more satisfying when he kicked all their asses.

He spent that week preparing for the trial. He barely saw Harvey, as he was constantly locking himself in his room, going over the case and trying to decide who would play his plaintiff and witness. Thankfully, he had Donna again, and looked through his contacts on his phone and then on Facebook.

He finally called Gemma. She was working at a prestigious science lab down town and was only too happy to help.

"Are you sure you're going to be alright?" He asked, trying not to help her walk (he'd tried it once and she had driven her titanium heel onto his toes. Just to prove she could).

"Mike, I'll be _fine_," she rolled her eyes. "We went through all of this last night. Who's the judge?"

"Jessica," Mike said. "Usually it's Dad, but for some unknown reason they wouldn't let him be judge for mine."

Gemma laughed. "I can't imagine why. Maybe because he'd probably overrule the jury if it doesn't go your way."

"Maybe," Mike grinned at her. They approached the library and were met with eager stares. Gemma shrank back slightly, before she felt Mike's hand on her lower back, slowly nudging her forwards. "You can do this," he whispered as they walked in.

"Shouldn't I be giving _you _support?" She murmured, sitting down.

Mike grinned again. "I don't need it."

* * *

><p>And he hadn't. He had wiped the floor with Nicole. The look on everyone's faces as Jessica had given her verdict and hit the table with her gavel had been beautiful. The look on <em>Jessica's <em>face made him blush and it wasn't until later, when he'd congratulated Donna and Gemma, that he turned to find Harvey stood off to the side, a grin on his face.

Ignoring the fact that all of his work-colleagues still kind of detested him for being the boss's son, he bounced over, beaming. "What do you think?" He asked, his eyes lit up. "Win any bets?"

"What do you think?" Harvey asked, not being able to help but ruffle Mike's hair. "Proud of you, kiddo. I know Donna got in on the associates' betting pool; I think she made quite a lot of money from it as well."

"Going towards a new hair cut or shoes or something?" Mike asked, smirking.

Harvey gave his own smirk. "Probably. Either that or she'll start a new trust fund for you."

"I didn't know I had one, let alone a new one."

"And you still don't have it - not until you're 21."

"You're just saying that so I have to wait to get this money to move out, aren't you?" Mike asked, grinning. "You know if you really can't bare it; me having to move out, just tell me."

Harvey slapped him upside the head, but rested his hand gently on Mike's shoulder. "I meant it, Mike," he said. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks," he grinned. "So you won't mind if I go to the celebration the associates are having at a bar...?"

"I'm bringing you home myself," Harvey told him. "I'm not going to let you go to bar."

Mike shrugged. "I have a feeling they wouldn't want me there anyway."

Harvey sighed but removed his hand as some associates walked past, muttering congratulations.

* * *

><p>Mike had been working at the firm for nearly two months. Most of his time was spent working for various partners - he was more than happy to work with both Louis and Rachel, and a couple of times found himself working with Harvey as well. The other associates had been wary around him for a few weeks after the mock trial; convinced he either cheated, or it was unfair because he was close to Jessica - but after a while they forgot about it, and some acted slightly warmer towards him.<p>

It reminded him of high school, when some of the girls would coo gently at the 7 year old boy and take him under their wing - even some of the boys would get in on the act (on the good days) and he would be treated like the little brother of the group, or a mascot. Some of them would painstakingly try to teach him how to play football, and wouldn't even laugh if he tripped - and would also pretend they couldn't see the tears he fiercely tried to keep at bay.

Nicole was suddenly a lot friendlier towards him - real friendliness this time. She would act like Donna, and if she saw he was working through lunch, she would tell him off and drag him out to get something to eat.

He'd also noticed a few times that Aaron would sometimes be skulking near Harvey's office; and when he asked both Aaron and Harvey would deny it, but Mike was pretty sure his dad was getting constant updates on his well being or was telling associates to look out for him.

That thought made him feel physically sick.

Speaking of; that actually happened - just as he passed the three month mark at the firm.

Harvey got to the firm and - as he did most days; assumed that Mike had gotten there before him. He made sure he brought Mike back with him - he knew that associates had to do the occasional all-nighter, but he was still a firm believer in kids having the right amount of sleep. He'd vaguely heard an alarm go off that morning and heard movement; as he did most mornings - and so when he was getting ready to leave, assumed that Mike had already gone.

He tried to be as independent as he could - living with his father/boss wasn't exactly what he wanted to be doing - and so he usually just biked to work, usually before Harvey got there.

However, when Harvey got in and had read and answered some emails, he noticed that Donna was frowning at him.

"Can I help you?" He asked.

"Did Mike come in with you?"

Harvey frowned. "No. Why?"

"Louis wanted him to go through some by-laws but he hasn't gotten in yet," she bit her lip. "Did you see his bike outside?"

Harvey thought hard. "No," he said slowly, coming to the realisation that he'd spotted Mike's bike helmet back in the flat (and was going to ream him out when he saw him). He got his cell out and called Mike. When he got no answer, he looked back at Donna. "I'm going back home."

"Harvey, your meetings - "

"Can wait," Harvey answered, closing his laptop and trying to call Mike again.

* * *

><p>When he got back to the flat, he went straight to Mike's room. After knocking and not getting an answer, he pushed it open, wondering if he'd just overslept. The bed was empty, but the curtains were still closed, and Harvey spied the box under the bed was out slightly, and a threadbare teddy was sat on the bed.<p>

He sighed. The only time Mike ever acknowledged that he still had H.B was when he was ill. Harvey didn't know if it was an ever-present side-effect of what Anna Green had done, but when he was ill or very upset, he would still act younger. Not _that _much younger, but he still craved the presence of his dad. It had gotten a lot better; especially when he went to Harvard - but Harvey still grabbed H.B, meaning to take him to Mike when he found him.

Even in his late teenage years, it wasn't surprising to find Mike curled up in Harvey's bed if he didn't feel well. Afterwards Mike always said that it was because he wanted to stretch out and there was more room - Harvey scoffed and pretended to believe him.

He didn't find Mike in his bed, surprisingly - and it was only then that he heard the faint sounds of retching coming from the bathroom.

Opening the door, he found Mike curled around the toilet, spasming inwards slightly when his stomach cramped with another wave of nausea. He moved his head slightly when he heard the door open and grimaced in greeting. "Hi, Dad," he murmured. "Sorry, I'm late for work. I'll go in soon, I'll just - " he immediately turned back, coughing and choking into the bowl.

"Aw, buddy," Harvey took his suit jacket off, quickly followed by his waistcoat and tie. He rolled his sleeves up and knelt next to Mike, rubbing his back. "Why didn't you tell me you felt ill?"

He felt a shrug under his hand, which was getting slightly damp as the sweat on Mike's back was going through his top - apparently it took a huge amount of energy to continue the painful retching.

"I'll be fine, you should go back to work," he whispered, resting his damp forehead on the bowl, breathing out slowly.

"Mike, knowing you, you'll be sat here for the rest of the day - not drinking anything, not trying to eat anything and then you'll just be miserable for the rest of the day." Mike's baleful stare proved him right and he sighed. "Think you can stand up?"

Mike nodded, not before making sure to grab a bucket from the cupboard under the sink as a precaution. He heaved himself up, flushing the toilet and wiping his mouth on his sleeve. Harvey winced and started the shower. At Mike's questioning, exhausted glance he took the bucket out of his hands and placed it on the ground. "I'll grab you some clean clothes," he said. "Have a shower."

Mike nodded and started to pull his top off, leaving Harvey to close the door and find some clean pyjamas (because he wasn't going to let Mike out of the house and he felt a lot more comfortable in pyjamas when he was sick).

When Mike walked out, still holding the bucket, but looking fresher and wearing the pyjamas Harvey had set out, he pretty much collapsed on the couch, his eyes closing.

"When did you start feeling sick?" Harvey asked, bringing over a bottle of water and a blanket (because the kid liked burrowing into things when he didn't feel well).

Mike shrugged, accepting the water and pulling the blanket around him. "I felt weird last night, but I thought it was 'cause I was tired."

Harvey nodded, remembering the paleness of the teen's skin and how quiet he was. He'd said he was tired and went to bed early.

"But I felt worse this morning. And... well," he gestured at the bucket, curling up on the couch slightly and snagging a cushion to cuddle slightly as he closed his eyes. "I'll be fine, Dad," he said. "You can go back to work."

Harvey raised an eyebrow and sat next to him, pulling him over slightly so that his head was resting on Harvey's lap. "I found H.B," he said, slightly conversationally, pulling him out from where he'd placed him after they'd left the bathroom. "You want him?"

"I'm not a little kid," Mike said weakly, taking him nonetheless and burying his face in the fur.

"Sure you're not," Harvey snorted. "You sure you don't need pull-ups? I mean, when you were sick when you were younger, and - "

"I'll be fine," Mike grumbled.

"Well just tell me if you need the potty," Harvey smirked, running his fingers through Mike's hair. Mike groaned but let himself fall asleep.

* * *

><p>"Is he okay?" Donna asked, having rushed over to the condo as soon as her workday had ended. She knelt by the couch where Mike was lightly dozing, still hugging H.B to him. "He's so pale," she murmured, stroking his cheeks. "He looks too young to be working," she worried, looking over at Harvey who she knew had shared her fears.<p>

"I know," he sighed. "But he enjoys it. And he can handle it."

"Glad to know you think so," Mike mumbled, opening one eye blearily. "Hi, Donna."

"Hi, sweetie," she whispered. "How do you feel?"

"Sick," he replied, closing his eyes again. "Sorry about my breath; we had to swap buckets twice already."

"That was something we didn't need to share with the rest of the class," Harvey rolled his eyes.

"It's fine - remember when you were 4, and you got those burns..." she trailed off, seeing Harvey's eyes darken. "I helped change the bandages, remember?"

Mike nodded, clutching H.B closer to him. There were faint scars on his arms still - faint, but there.

"How are you enjoying work?" She asked him, rubbing his upper arms slightly. He nodded, a tear seeping out from his closed eyes. "Oh, sweetie, it's okay," she said, getting onto the couch and cuddling Mike as she slid under him so that his upper body was resting on her lap. "Do you feel really bad?"

He sniffed and nodded his head, before pausing and shrugging. "Do you want your dad?" She murmured, running her hand though his hair. He nodded, prompting Harvey to nudge his legs backward, perching on the side of the couch and resting a gentle hand on his leg.

"You're such a child," Harvey said, a smile on his face.

Mike sniffed. "Don't care."

Harvey knew that Mike always longed for affection; he practically melted in it. In public he was vehemently against it; as any 19 year old boy would be, but behind closed doors it made him feel a lot better - needed, which is something he hadn't really felt before he was changed by Dr. Green.

"You're doing really well at work," Harvey told him, rubbing his leg slightly.

"Thanks," Mike murmured. "Can I go back to sleep now?"

Harvey laughed slightly. "Sure you can. Say bye to Donna though, she needs to leave soon."

Mike looked up at Donna, who nodded in agreement, smoothing back his hair. "Don't go yet, Mom," he whispered.

"Oh, Mikey," she whispered. "I won't. Go to sleep; I'll wait."

It wasn't long before he did fall asleep and Harvey helped Donna slide out from underneath him. "Call me if he gets any worse," she said, her voice wavering slightly.

"He won't," Harvey told her, confidently. "He'll be fine. And then tomorrow he'll be whining because he wants to go back to work."

Donna laughed slightly and shook her head. "Are you sure letting him work now was the right choice?" She whispered, not wanting to wake Mike up again.

Harvey nodded. "He's ready."

Donna smiled and left, leaving Harvey to sit on the couch again, running his fingers through Mike's hair.

He was ready.

And Harvey couldn't be prouder.

* * *

><p><strong>AN This veered off slightly in a different direction - there may very well be more on young Mike working at the firm; this was very much a setting-up chapter :) And the burns thing is referencing an idea for a chapter (that is, in fact, the next chapter :P) - _Huffyndk _you know what you've done :P **

**Hope you enjoyed, please review and tell me what you thought :)**


	19. Love Is A Burning Thing

**A/N Hola amigos! Now, this chapter was an idea given to me by _HuffynDK_, and it explains the burns I mentioned in the last chapter. It may or may not need tissues depending on how I write it... it depends if a crying little Mike makes you emotional :P I really hope you enjoy it; I promise I'll try to add fluff as well :P**

**Mike's age: 4**

* * *

><p>"Harvey, I don't really care <em>what <em>you think about him," Jessica said semi-patiently. "He's specifically asked for _you_. So like him or not; you're going. And in the future, if you really want to look menacing, let your kid nap somewhere else," she suggested, smirking slightly.

Harvey was sat in his chair, having had to bounce and rock and damn near cartwheel in order to get Mike to nap. And now he didn't want to move him on the off-chance he woke up. So he was sat there, patting Mike's back and bouncing his knee slightly and trying his best to glare at Jessica; but not really managing to pull it off, seeing as he was feeling a slightly pathetic, gooey feeling towards the toddler sleeping on his lap.

"Jessica, Reginald Cohen is a tool," Harvey told her quietly so he wouldn't wake Mike up.

"You didn't think that the _last _time you met him," she pointed out.

"Oh that's right, yes - of course that was just before he made Mike cry."

"He apologised," Jessica defended the client's actions.

"I don't care - why aren't you giving him to Louis?"

"Because; for the last time - he asked for you," Jessica said. "Now suck it up, and go to that party."

"It's the same day as one of Nick's exhibitions," Harvey told her. "I promised I would go."

"And I'm sure it's not the first time that you have broken a promise," Jessica said. "You're going and it's final. You argue with me again, I have no issue with raising my voice to wake him up," she told him, gesturing at the small boy on Harvey's lap, who was sucking his thumb and clutching Harvey's jacket lapel with the other hand, whilst squashing a dinosaur toy between his body and Harvey's.

"You wouldn't," Harvey said, narrowing his eyes. She opened her mouth and he quickly (but quietly) intervened. "Alright, I'll go to Mr. Cohen's party - but I get the day before it off to prepare."

"I thought you would anyway; getting an overnight sitter at such short notice is - "

"Overnight?" Harvey narrowed his eyes. "Just where _is _this party?"

"Mr. Cohen lives in Washington; did you not listen to anything I said?" Jessica asked, sighing.

"That's nearly 5 hours away, Jessica," Harvey said. "You really think I can get anyone to look after Mike overnight at this short notice?"

"Well why don't you send Mike to Nick's exhibition and he can be watched by him?"

Harvey snorted. "Have you seen what my brother gets up to at his exhibitions? He won't leave till 2am, with about 3 bottles of champagne in him."

"I'm sure you'll think of something," Jessica said, going towards the door. "Oh and, Harvey?" The man looked over. "Your kid's drooling on your jacket."

She left, and Harvey was forced to try and move Mike into a different position, wondering how the hell he would be able to get that amount of spit off his pristine black jacket. He hadn't even realised how much Mike drooled until the kid fell asleep and let his jaw go lax. Harvey was considering getting the kid a bib.

"Donna - "

"I'm busy that day," she told him, sounding guilty. "And your parents; however much your mother wants to look after him, she has 'the girls' round apparently. And your dad's out of town on some kind of fishing trip. Why don't you have any friends?"

"I have friends," he argued, shifting slightly in his seat. How he was going to get any work done whilst Mike was asleep on his lap, he wasn't sure. "I just wouldn't trust any of them to look after Mike for the night."

"Leave him with Nick," Donna told him. "He can be responsible if you ask him to be. You know he loves Mike, he'd be happy to look after him."

Harvey pursed his lips, absent-mindedly stroking Mike's hair as he considered it. "Alright," he sighed. "I'll call him tonight."

* * *

><p>When Harvey went to the gallery that Nick was having his exhibition, it was frantic as walls were being set up, small nuts and bolts were drilled in to keep then steady, and pictures were being carefully hung up.<p>

"Harvey!" Nick found him in the chaos and pulled him to one side, grinning at Mike, who was clinging to his hand. "I wish you could stay here for it," Nick said, frowning slightly.

Harvey sighed. "I know, but I have to go to this ridiculous party. Are you sure you can take him?"

"Yeah - we'll have fun!" Nick assured him, his eyes lighting up. "They're going to do fireworks on the balcony, and they're giving out sparklers, and I won't even drink," he promised. "I'll take Mikey back to mine at 8. Okay?"

"And you'll stay with him?" Harvey pressed.

"Jeeze, Harv, I'm not an idiot! I'll be there the whole time!"

Harvey nodded, not exactly satisfied, but close enough. "Okay, kiddo," he knelt to speak to Mike. "I packed you lots of fun things to do; and your new dino pyjamas," he smiled as Mike grinned excitedly. "Don't forget the pull-up," he said sternly, and Mike nodded, blushing somewhat. "I'll see you tomorrow, buddy. Be good for Uncle Nick, alright?"

"I will, Daddy," he promised solemnly, before seeing a table with an ice sculpture in the middle. He gasped delightedly and ran towards it, standing on the tips of his toes to stare at it, his hands clenching the table cloth.

Nick laughed but stopped when he felt a hand on his arm. "Nick, I know he'll whine for one, but don't let him have a sparkler."

"What? C'mon, Harvey - they're fine! It's not like he's an idiot! He'll be wearing gloves, there'll be buckets of sand; the whole shebang. Alright?"

Harvey frowned. "I don't care, Nick," he said, tone of finality to his words. "Will you just stay with him? No sparklers."

"You need to chill out," Nick told him. "Maybe this party will be good for you. Does Mike ever complain about you being a killjoy?" He got a glare in response and sighed. "Whatever. See you later - don't do anything I wouldn't."

"I think I'll be fine," Harvey said, rolling his eyes. "Mike, I'm going," he said, causing Mike to bound back over, hugging him tightly. "You be good for Uncle Nick."

Mike sniffed but nodded, gazing up at Harvey with wide, watery eyes. Sighing, Harvey picked him up and bounced him on his hip, rubbing his back. "He gets upset when I'm gone for the night," Harvey said, lowering his voice. "He'll probably cling to you."

"You've told me this before, Harv," Nick reminded him, rolling his eyes. "Like I said, we'll be fine - and it'll get me girls," he grinned. "They love the father thing. Can I - ?"

"You're not pretending to be his dad," Harvey told him.

Nick pouted. "Possessive much. Alright - here," he held out his arms and Harvey kissed Mike's hair before passing him over to Nick. Mike's lip trembled slightly but he didn't cry, and just hid his face in Nick's neck.

"Bye, Daddy," he burbled, clutching at Nick. Harvey ruffled his hair and nodded at Nick.

"I'll call before he goes to bed."

"Seeya, Harv." When Harvey had left, Nick bounced Mike up. "Cheer up, squirt. We'll have fun. You wanna go see some of the other ice sculptures?"

Mike nodded, tugging at Nick's shoulder. "Are there dinosaur ones?"

"Sorry, kiddo," Nick grinned at Mike's obsession. "No dinos. I think there are some archers." He was stretching it a bit - they were cupids. In all honesty, he thought they were tacky - well, no that wasn't true; he thought that they were awesome - just... why cupids?"

Mike seemed to light up at the thought of archers though. "Like Hawkeye!" He cried out excitedly.

"Exactly," Nick nodded, carefully walking around the various busy workmen putting up his pictures on the bare walls. "Do me a favour, kiddo - hold your bag for a second."

He held up the backpack (dinosaur themed, of course) that Harvey had given him and Mike gripped it in both hands so Nick could better manoeuvre around the busy room. Mike was apparently unimpressed that he had been lied to about the cupid statue, but Nick quickly offered him a taster session of the buffet table. Nick stored Mike's backpack in a back room where his own bag was, and soon guests started to float in.

"Okay, squirtle," Nick said, crouching. "Now these people are really important, but I'll tell you something," he leant in and whispered; "They're really boring too." Mike giggled, glancing at the well-dressed party-goers. "So you might get bored, and you don't want to listen to me talking to them either," Nick said. "So you'd be bored staying with me. You can if you want to, but you might be bored. If you do want something to do - I think Harvey packed some stuff in your bag. You know where I put it?" Mike nodded but took Nick's hand. "You want to stay with me for a bit?" The kid nodded again. "Alright, c'mon - act really cute so they think I'm awesome."

"You mean I'm not _normally _really cute?" Mike asked, blinking up at him.

Nick snorted. "Shut up."

* * *

><p>Nick had to admit, the kid was unashamedly cute that night. He wowed any potential girlfriends for Nick and even seemed marginally interested in some of the pictures. He started to yawn and rub at his eyes after a while though, and Nick realised it was already 8. He sighed, not wanting to leave but knowing that Harvey would <em>kill <em>him if Mike was cranky the next day.

"You wanna stay for the fireworks?" Nick asked, hoping Mike would say yes. If there was one weakness or secret obsession Nick had, it was fireworks. Every 4th of July his eyes would light up as he watched as many as possible; many of his favourite shots he had taken were of fireworks. He didn't want to miss the ones that they were putting on tonight. Thankfully, Mike nodded and followed the rest of the crowd, blinking frequently in an attempt to stay awake.

"C'mon, Mikey - you'll have a blast," Nick assured him, hitching him onto his shoulders so he could see the fireworks.

When they first shot into the sky, Mike had jumped slightly and gripped onto Nick tightly. After the initial shock had worn down, Mike giggled as he watched the fireworks explode; sparks raining down on them in a colourful haze. The explosions lit up the balcony they were all stood on, and a warm glow was cast over them as everyone stared up, transfixed.

After they had all finished, people were being handed sparklers. Nick - as ever - saw the opportunity for some good shots and took Mike off his shoulders, putting him on the ground.

"We'll go home soon, Mikey, I promise," he said. "I just want to get some pictures. How about you get a sparkler and I'll go get my camera. Alright?" Mike nodded, his eyes wide. "What's wrong?"

"Daddy doesn't let me have sparklers," Mike said, looking slightly worried.

"Well what Daddy doesn't know won't hurt him," Nick winked at him. "It's cool, munchkin, I'll be right here. Okay?"

Mike bit his lip but nodded, reaching out for one that was offered. He held it at arms length, waving it happily, trying to spell out his name in light. Nick grinned at him. "Fun, right? What was Daddy thinking? Alright, I'm just gonna go get my camera. I'll be back in a second." He left, and Mike continued to move the sparkler.

He blinked again, tiredness causing a haze to come over his vision. He hadn't napped at all - even though Harvey thought he had - and was dead on his feet. He felt himself tip forward slightly before startling awake, realising his eyes had closed. He should probably find Nick now. But the sparkler was mesmerising...

It was coming further down the stick now, and - in his stupified, sleepy daze - Mike reached out to touch the sparks. A sharp, white-hot pain touched his fingers and he gave a cry, pulling them back but then dropping the sparkler. On his sleeve.

He went to bat it away but it was too hot, he couldn't touch it. The sparks suddenly lit into a flame. He gave a scream and waved his arm as fast he could, trying to put them out - people around him heard and were flocked around him, gasps and cries resonating on the balcony. He vaguely heard a man shout his name but he could barely hear anything over his own screams.

Suddenly, the flame was gone. In it's place was sand - someone had overturned one of the buckets of sand onto his arm.

"Jesus, Mike!" Nick was suddenly there, having heard the screams and ran as fast he could to the balcony. "Are you alright? Mikey!"

Mike couldn't breathe for sobbing and screaming - he wanted the pain to go away, he wanted to just go to sleep... He wanted Harvey. He felt Nick cautiously moving his arm, trying to look at the damage but he didn't dare peel back the sleeve of the long-sleeved t-shirt Mike was wearing.

"Someone call an ambulance!" Nick yelled, Mike's own fear quickly sweeping him up as well. "Okay, it's okay..." He tried to say, but his voice had never been more shaky. "Oh shit..." he breathed out, feeling unfamiliar tears rising to the surface. "What do I do, what do I, what do I do..." He whispered quickly.

"I've called an ambulance," a man told him, seeing he was close to having a breakdown. When Nick glanced up he saw it was the man in charge of the fireworks.

"Do you..." Nick had to swallow and swipe away at tears quickly. "Do you know what do? With burns?"

"Son I make firework shows for a living, what do you think?" The man asked, before quickly becoming very professional. "Okay - we gotta take that top off carefully," he motioned to the long-sleeved t-shirt that Mike was wearing. Nick nodded and fumbled with the sleeve, his hands shaking. "Let me do that, kid," the man said. "You try and calm him down."

Nick swallowed and nodded, taking Mike into his arms. "It's okay, Mikey," he tried to soothe. "You'll be okay. Let the man make you feel better, alright?"

Mike continued to wail and scream, trying to get away as the man carefully pulled the sleeve up and the top off. Thankfully, none of it had stuck to his skin, but Nick nearly threw up at the sight of the burns. Some of it extended all the way to his upper arms, and were large and red; blisters already appearing and Nick could tell how painful it was.

"Don't worry," the man said. "He can feel them - that's good. I'd hazard a guess at them being second degree burns."

"And that's... that's not too bad?" Nick asked, still shaking and trying in vain to stop Mike's cries.

"It's not good, son," the man said, grabbing a bottle of water and sprinkling some on his own hands before nodding and gently running water on the burn. "But it's better than it could be." Mike tried weakly to thrash but Nick held him still.

"Hey, can someone go in the back room?" Nick yelled out, hoping someone would listen. "There's a dinosaur backpack in there; it's the kid's - can someone, _please _- go get it?" He prayed someone would; feeling Mike getting cold and not wanting to put his top back on. If he knew Harvey, there would be spare clothes _and _a blanket in there.

All too soon he heard sirens and a flurry of activity as the paramedics arrived. "Hey, buddy," one of them knelt and looked at Mike. "That's a nasty looking thing. Can I have a quick look?" He took the arm and very gently examined it. "We should go to hospital," he told Nick, assuming he was Mike's father. "Are you riding with us?"

Nick nodded and slowly stood up, going deaf from Mike's screams. Thankfully, someone pressed a backpack into his hands and he nodded wordlessly at them, clutching it as they moved towards the ambulances. They wrapped a large, orange blanket around Mike and as they drove, the male paramedic cautiously wrapped it. "I know it feels bad, kiddo," he said. "But you'll feel better soon; the doctors are gonna take real good care of you."

Mike shook his head, still wailing. Finally, Nick could make out words in the jumble. "Daddy! Want Daddy!" It was pretty much a constant mantra of 'want Daddys' with a few 'dada's thrown in as well.

"I'll call him," Nick soothed, terrified of calling him. "Don't worry, Mikey - he'll be here soon. Daddy'll be here soon."

* * *

><p>It was when Nick was sat in the waiting area that he finally called someone. He had tried to go in with them but Mike had cried harder, wanting no one but Harvey. Feeling rejected but completely reasonably so, Nick found himself calling Donna.<p>

"_Hello?_"

"Donna, it's Nick, I - "

"_Can't get him to sleep without Harvey there, right?_" She asked, sounding amused. "_Don't worry about it. Either tell him a story - one that could be an allusion to Harvey or himself - or give him some warm milk. That always seems to work._"

"It's not that," Nick said, his voice ragged and shaking. "Donna, I... I really need you to come down here."

"_To your apartment? What's wrong?_"

"No I'm..." he took in a breath, steeling himself. "I'm at the hospital. Mikey - "

"_What happened?_" She gasped. "_Is he okay? I'm on my way!_"

Before he had a chance to say anything else, she hung up the phone. Well that was one down - just one more to go. He sat down on the uncomfortable plastic seats and stared at his shaky legs for a while before finally calling another number.

* * *

><p>Harvey rolled his eyes as he was offered yet more champagne. Apparently Mr. Cohen had been so desperate to get him there, he had booked Harvey a seat on his own private jet and so Harvey had been at the party for three hours when he should have still been on the road and he was bored stiff.<p>

He usually wouldn't mind such extravagant parties and would often flourish in them - but right now he just wanted to be at home, listening to Mike babble on about whatever was in his head that day. He sighed - he would only be staying overnight and he already missed the kid. He checked his watch, giving a start as he realised he should have called before Mike went to bed. He sighed, knowing that Mike would no doubt still be awake, refusing to sleep.

Before he could even contemplate this scenario further, his phone rang. He grinned on seeing that it was Nick. His brother was probably at his wits end.

"Hey, Nicky - I'm sorry I forgot to call. Did he go to bed alright?" He heard Nick's breath hitch - and since Nick and Mike were both quite similar; that meant tears. "Nick? What's wrong?"

"_I... Harvey I'm... I'm so sorry, I didn't think it would - you need to... I'm sorry, it's Mikey, you - _"

"Nick what happened?" Harvey felt horror pool in the pit of his stomach, putting his glass of champagne down and walking sharply through the crowd to find a quieter space; disregarding the fact that the client was wanting to talk to him again.

"_There was... the fireworks and the sparklers..._" the was a small sniff. "_Mike's in the hospital. The sparkler... I don't know what happened, but his sleeve caught fire, I - _"

"WHAT?" Harvey was well aware he was shouting; hell, he felt like screaming. "What do you mean it caught fire? Why didn't you stop it? Weren't you _there_? I _said _no sparklers - DAMMIT, NICK!"

"_Harvey I'm sorry, I'm so, so, so sorry but you need to come down, he won't stop..._" his breath hitched again, "_he won't stop crying and he wants you, the doctors and nurses are barely getting him to co operate; shout at me later, but he needs you right now._"

Harvey wanted to rip Nick's throat out. Literally. He felt his blood pounding, and his hands clenched. How _dare _Nick not only put his son in danger - but land him in the _hospital _and _then_ go on to tell him that Mike _needed him_.

Like he didn't already know that.

"I'm on my way," he growled, hanging up. He'd call Donna when he was close to the city to find out which hospital. He didn't even want to _talk _to his brother. With shaking hands he put his phone back in his pocket, before finding Mr. Cohen in the crowd.

"Harvey, I've been trying to find you, I - "

"I'm afraid I have to go," Harvey said, knowing his voice was shaking. "Family emergency - it would be a big help if I could possibly get another lift in that jet of yours."

* * *

><p>When Donna had arrived at the hospital, she found Nick sitting in the waiting room, still shaking and folding inwards on himself, his elbows resting on his knees as his fingers interlocked and rested on the back of his neck.<p>

"Nicholas," her voice was soft and low but Nick flinched. He looked up at her and rubbed at his eyes.

"Hi, Donna," he said. "I'm sorry; it was all my fault - I shouldn't have let him have a sparkler, and - "

"Nick," she sat down, took the clipboard from his lap (because of course he wouldn't know any of Mike's medical information) and looked at him. "Just tell me what happened. First off - is he okay?"

Nick shrugged. "I don't know. He won't... I'm not allowed in."

"But you're related," she said, wondering how she would be allowed in if even Nick wasn't. Which made her panic slightly that Mike was badly hurt if no one was allowed in.

"I know... the staff were happy for me to be let in. It was... Mikey didn't want... he didn't want me in there," Nick sniffed. "The kid's actually scared of me. It's my fault - the sparkler... I gave it to him, Harvey told me he wasn't allowed one but I thought he was just being... I thought he was just being Harvey, y'know? But I left to grab my camera and I got back and... and his whole sleeve was on fire," his breath hitched and Donna could tell that soon he would start crying.

However - as much as she loved Nick and had sympathy for him; and knew there was no way he could have known what would happen... she couldn't find it in her to stay with him.

She had to see if Mike was okay.

"Look, I've filled his forms out," she said, passing the clipboard to him. "Give it to them. I'm going to find him."

She felt bad for leaving him when he was so close to breaking but at the same time - Mike was on his own in a much worse state that Nick. She asked for Mike's room and was soon shown to it. She could hear him before she saw him. He wasn't exactly screaming - and it wasn't in pain, she could tell. It was from fear and all she could hear was him shouting 'daddy'.

She opened the door to see a nurse and a doctor slowly trying to clean the burns and wrap them. "Excuse me, who are you?" They asked.

"I'm..." she wondered what to say before Mike helped her out.

"Mommy!"

She didn't bother explaining herself after that and quickly fled to the other side of the bed, sitting gently beside him. "It's okay, sweetie," she cooed, feeling tears rise to the surface at how much Mike was hurting. "Don't worry, you'll be fine - look at how brave you're being!"

"Ma'am, do we have your permission to give him painkillers?" The doctor asked. Donna nodded wordlessly and smothered Mike in kisses, watching as they prepared a syringe.

"Don't," she stopped them. "He won't... not even I could convince him to have an injection."

"Ma'am, he needs the painkillers."

"Do they come in a tablet form?" She asked. The doctor nodded. "That won't be a problem. Only his father could convince him to have an injection and he's not here yet," she said, stroking Mike's hair as he cried out for Harvey.

Thankfully, he took the pills without much struggle and was now only crying because he wanted Harvey.

"Sweetie settle down," Donna soothed. "He's coming. He's on his way."

"Wan' dada now!" He cried, and Donna knew that this was the furthest into his four year old mind he'd ever been. She didn't think he'd ever been more upset and hurt than he was now. "Get dada!"

"Oh, he's coming," she cooed, trying to blink away tears. "He's coming, pumpkin. It just takes a while from where he is."

"Huwts!" He told her, sobbing again. "Wan' Dada!"

"He'll be here," she rocked him, closing her eyes. "He'll be here soon, Mikey, I promise..."

* * *

><p>Nick had stayed in the same seat for about two hours. He didn't know how Mike was, or where Donna had gone or if she'd even been allowed in the room. However much he wanted to go in, he just didn't think he could face that amount of hurt and fear in Mike's eyes again.<p>

It was all his fault the kid had gotten hurt...

"Nick!"

He jumped off his chair and turned, instinctively backing away as Harvey came tearing down the corridor towards him. He ended up backing into a wall as Harvey shoved him against it. "Harvey!"

"What. Happened?" He snarled. "Where's Mike?"

"He's... he got his own room, I was... I couldn't..."

"You left him on his own?" Harvey growled, wanting nothing more than to snap his own brother's neck.

"Donna's with him!" He gasped, managing to break free and collapse back onto the chair. Harvey breathed out slowly before nodding, turning to ask the woman at the reception desk (who was looking at him distrustfully) where Mike was.

"Wait, Harvey," Nick scrambled up and passed Harvey the backpack he had forgotten about when Donna got there. Harvey took it, gripping it tightly before nodding and turning, not wanting to even look at his brother.

He found the room quickly and his heart broke at hearing Mike's sobs. He opened the door and put the backpack on the ground, noting Donna's relieved face.

"Dada!"

He hadn't ever really been called 'dada' by Mike before, but he guessed that the kid was so upset, his speech had reverted more than normal.

"Right here, buddy," Harvey took Donna's place, seamlessly slipping into her seat and cuddling Mike unabashedly, as the kid tried to climb onto his lap. "Okay, it's alright..." He saw the wrapped arm - saw the bandages all the way up to the kid's shoulder and felt sick.

"Harvey?" Donna watched as his face turned very pale. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, breathing out slowly and continuing to cuddle Mike as if his life depended on it.

"Huwts, Dada - fix!"

Harvey had never heard Mike talk like that before, but he had to adapt - he didn't want Mike more upset than he already was. But dammit if that hadn't hit him right in the gut. "I wish I could, Mikey," he whispered, rocking Mike from side to side, very careful of his arm. "It'll be okay... you'll get better soon. Daddy'll stay right with you, okay?"

"Hah-bear," Mike pulled at Harvey's shirt (he was still wearing the tux he had put on, although the bow tie was now loose and hanging from his neck).

"What's that, buddy?" Harvey covered Mike's grabby hand with his own.

"Hah-bear!" Mike started (as he always did when his speech became more childish) to rub at his mouth in anguish.

"Hey, hey, stop that," Harvey pulled his hand away. "You want your bear? You want H.B?"

Mike nodded and started to cry again, pulling at Harvey and trying to climb up him - Harvey wasn't sure what the kid's end goal was, but he was pretty sure Mike was just trying to get as close to him as he could.

"Donna will you get H.B out of Mike's bag please?" He asked, his voice thick with unshed tears. Donna had rarely heard him sound like that before - even when Mike had his tonsils removed Harvey had mostly kept it together when there were other people in the room. She hastily did so, as well as getting a blanket out that she knew Harvey had packed because Mike liked extra comfort when his favourite comfort (Harvey) wasn't there.

"Here, sweetie," she said, passing him H.B before tucking the blanket around him. Mike clutched at the bear and began snuffling, his cries taping off.

"What do we say?" Harvey asked him quietly - determined for Mike to be polite regardless of injury.

"Fank 'oo," he whispered, sucking his uninjured thumb. His left hand had burnt slightly when he'd reached to touch the sparks. He breathed out and closed his eyes. He felt so much more relaxed and less scared now that Harvey was there.

"You tired, buddy?"

"Pas' bedtime," Mike whispered.

Harvey huffed out a laugh and kissed his hair. "It is. It's very late. It's way past your bedtime."

"S'eep?" Mike murmured.

"Yeah, kiddo, you go to sleep," Harvey whispered, going to rub his arm before remembering the burns. "Daddy's just going to move you onto the bed fully, alright?" Mike whined but didn't do anything else, letting Harvey carefully move him off his lap and got up, so he was stood next to the bed. "Go to sleep, Mikey," he whispered.

As soon as Mike was asleep, Harvey started pacing, his hands over his face.

"Harvey..." Donna said.

"Don't," he said, his voice shaking. "Just... don't. What happened?" He had waited until Mike was asleep before asking; he didn't want to upset the kid more than he already was.

"Nick let him have a sparkler and left for a second to grab his camera," she told him quietly. "He only said that he heard Mike scr-screaming," she stumbled over the word, obviously horrified that anything could make him scream. "He went outside and Mike's sleeve was on fire."

Harvey breathed in sharply and closed his eyes. "Okay..." he breathed out. "What did... what did the doctor say?"

"They're all first and second degree burns," she said. "They cleaned them - apparently there was sand in some of them; so someone threw sand on it to put the fire out. They want to change the dressings every few hours and then after that every other day - they'll show you how to do it," she told him. "They said he should be fine?" She offered, seeing Harvey's face. "There might be a few scars but... they're optimistic that they won't be that big."

Harvey nodded, facing away from her and holding H.B - Mike had let go of him and Harvey was about to slot the bear under the boy's arm before clutching it slightly, looking down at it. He blinked blearily, trying to keep the tears at bay. Mike had gotten hurt.

He could have gotten _very _hurt.

And he was in pain. Harvey could tell; he knew that Mike had been given something for the pain, but Harvey could just _tell_. But the kid - god damn, how did he get a kid as amazing as this one? - just cried and looked to Harvey for comfort. He hadn't complained much and was just taking it.

"Harvey..." He realised too late that there were tears slowly falling down his face. He gave a small sniff and looked up at Donna. "Come here," she whispered, pulling him into a hug. "It'll be okay," she whispered. "Really - the doctor said he'd be fine."

Harvey nodded, trying to swallow so that the lump in his throat would disappear. He looked over at Mike - looking so small and vulnerable and _hurt _on the bed and snapped, striding out of the room.

"Harvey, where are you going?" Donna asked, pulling at him.

"I'm going to talk to Nick," he growled, pulling away from her. "Stay with Mike."

She nodded sadly, biting her lip.

* * *

><p>"Harvey, how is he?" Nick leapt up from the seat he hadn't moved from for hours. His face was pale and on seeing his brother walking towards him - fire in his eyes. "Harvey, I'm... I'm so, <em>so <em>sorry," Nick croaked.

"_Sorry_?" Harvey snarled. "You're _sorry_? You think that's going to make it all okay? Nick you left my 4 year old son - your _nephew_ alone with a _sparkler_ just so you could go and get that _perfect shot_. He could have been _seriously _injured and you say you're sorry?"

"Harvey, I - "

"That kid is in _pain_. Do you get that, Nicholas? You've caused him actual, physical pain. Those burns are hurting him and there's only so much the doctors can do to stop it."

Nick had never been afraid of his older brother. Sometimes he had seen pure, white-hot anger coming from him; but it had never been directed towards the younger man. And yet now, even though he was stood clutching Mike's teddy and there were dried tear tracks on his face - he had never been more scared of Harvey.

In fact, seeing Harvey holding Mike's toy just made everything even worse.

"Harvey you know I'm sorry," he said, his voice wavering as he tried to explain. "But it was an accident. A stupid, _stupid _accident and I'm never going to forgive myself. But please... just... don't hate me."

His voice had gone quiet and he sounded like that little kid who had lost one of Harvey's baseball cards after being obsessed with them and trying to take some just to look at.

Harvey stared at him for a while before simply walking away, back to Mike's room.

The silence was always the worst.

* * *

><p>Mike was trying clumsily to eat some soup with the spoon clutched in his left hand. It had small burns on it but nothing major, so it wasn't too hard to use. He just wasn't used to using the left hand.<p>

"Oh you're so messy," Donna sighed, going to wipe up some that he spilt. It hadn't sounded like an admonishment - if anything she had cooed it the same way you'd tell a dog it had been good.

"Where's Daddy?" He asked her, carefully putting the spoon down and reaching for the sippy cup that was on the pull-out tray over his hospital bed. He felt a lot better than day than he had on the night. They were giving him painkillers every couple of hours, and it was only when they changed the bandages he got upset. As with every small child; simply _seeing _the injury, even if it didn't hurt at the time, was enough to make him whimper.

"He's just talking to the doctor," she told him. "He's seeing if you can get out soon."

Mike nodded. "Wanna go home."

She smiled. "I think it's the same as home to be honest," she said, glancing around at the various things that Harvey had gone back to their condo to get. There were three more soft toys, Mike's nightlight, more books and one of his own pillows.

"Nuh-uh. Wanna go home," he said firmly. His speech was still regressed, but Donna was sure it would get better soon; it was mostly because he couldn't stay with Harvey all the time - he had to back home halfway through the night and she knew most of the reason that Mike was upset was because Harvey wasn't constantly there as he would be at home.

"Soon, sweetie, soon," she said soothingly. "Finish your lunch, okay? I'm going to see if Grandma and Grandpa are here yet. Alright?"

He didn't look happy at being left but nodded, carefully moving the spoon towards his mouth and managing not to spill anything. She left but the door didn't swing entirely closed behind her. Mike heard talking outside the room and - if he craned his neck - he could just see the back of what looked like his doctor.

"It's looking good Mr. Specter," he heard faintly. "The burns are healing nicely - we won't need to do a skin graft."

"Oh thank god," he heard Harvey breath out in relief. "So when can he leave?"

"He should be able to leave today," the doctor said. "Keep giving him ibuprofen and tylenol intermittently and you were shown how to change the bandages?" He checked. Presumably Harvey nodded and the doctor continued. "Good. Change it one every two days and when he complains about it being itchy, just make sure he doesn't scratch at it. Come back to the hospital after a week and keep coming back every week until we think it's better. Is that alright?"

"Thank you," Harvey said, sounding sincere.

"My pleasure," he replied. "I'll go get your discharge papers."

Mike saw the doctor walk away and waited for Harvey to walk back in. However, he just heard more voices.

"What are you doing here?"

"Harvey, please - "

"Go home, Nick."

"I just want to make sure he's okay."

"Why? It's your fault he got hurt."

Mike frowned. It wasn't all Uncle Nick's fault. He was the one who stupidly tried to touch it and then dropped it as a result. He tried to get out the bed, but the food tray was in the way, and he got told off the last time he tried to get up without someone else there.

"Nick, the kid's scared of you."

Was he? To be fair, he hadn't wanted him there when they first got to hospital - all Mike's childish brain could comprehend was that Daddy wasn't there and Uncle Nick was and he was hurt.

Daddy never let him get hurt. Uncle Nick had.

"Harvey you know how sorry I am - let me make this up to him," Nick pleaded.

Mike frowned again. Uncle Nick wanted to say sorry. He shouldn't be scared of him.

"Get out of my sight," Harvey spat.

"Boys," Mike heard Grandma's voice enter the mix, quickly followed by Grandpa's and Donna's. "Stop it. The important thing is that Mike's alright."

Not too seconds after that, a large crowd entered his room. "Hey, sweetheart!"

"Grandma!" He said happily, wanting to hold out his arms for a hug but winced as he moved his right arm. His lips wobbled as he realised he couldn't give out hugs.

"Oh, don't worry, sweetie," Kathleen sat on the hospital bed and took him into a hug, rocking him and clucking at him when he sniffed. "How do you feel?"

"Better," Mike gave her a smile. "I'm going home today!"

Harvey raised an eyebrow. "Were you listening when the doctor and I were talking?" Mike giggled and looked down, shaking his head guiltily. "No? Are you sure about that?"

Mike looked up at him and started sucking his thumb. Harvey snorted and ruffled Mike's hair, packing his toys and books into a bag. "Grandpa, Donna said you were fishing," Mike said to him, over his grandma's shoulder. "Did you catch anything?"

"I didn't get a chance," he said, smiling. "We had to come down here to make sure you were alright." Mike's lip wobbled. "Don't worry, kiddo - it's alright. I can go another time," he said. "Maybe you can come with me?"

Mike beamed and looked over at Harvey - who didn't look thrilled at the idea of Mike being near a body of water and probably just wanted nothing more than to lock him in his room for the next 20 years so nothing else happened to him.

Harvey was starting to see where the various evil queens in fairy tales were coming from now.

"Mr. Specter - I have the release papers here," the doctor walked in. Harvey nodded and took them, signing them and giving them back before prising his mother off Mike.

"You need to be dressed before we can leave," Harvey told him, glancing at everyone expectantly. They all rolled their eyes at his insistence but went to stand outside while he dressed Mike.

"Why are you mad at Uncle Nick?" Mike asked quietly as Harvey carefully navigated his arm into a sleeve.

Harvey blinked at him. "He got you hurt," he said.

"But it wasn't his fault," Mike pulled at him with his one good arm. "Really. Don't be mad at him."

Harvey didn't say anything and just kept helping Mike get dressed, his teeth gritted. How could Mike be so blasé about this? The kid just didn't care that Nick had gotten him injured!

He would just have to be bitter for the both of them.

* * *

><p>"No, Daddy - stop!"<p>

"Mikey, don't do this," Harvey begged, trying to hold him still as he slowly changed the dressing on Mike's arm. "It has to be kept clean. Look at how well it's healing," he implored, trying to get Mike to see reason. "I know you don't like it but it's helping," Harvey told him, trying to stop him pulling away. "Does it still hurt?"

Mike sniffed but shook his head, sucking his thumb. The small burns on his fingertips were gone, healed over nicely and he was using it to his advantage.

"C'mon, buddy - let me change the dressing and then you can have some icecream," he bribed, thankful he'd remembered to buy some beforehand. Mike pouted but finally held still, letting Harvey wrap his arm again. When it was finished Harvey breathed out and ruffled his hair, using the hold to pull the small boy towards him slightly and kiss his hair. "Well done," he praised, standing up and letting Mike follow him to the freezer.

When Mike was settled on the couch with a bowl of ice cream in his hands, there was a tentative knock on the door. It wasn't uncommon for his parents or Donna to come by now and see how the small boy was - the other day Donna had visited to help change Mike's bandages and somehow he was much more compliant when she was doing it. Probably because she offered more cuddles, praises and kisses.

When he opened the door, however, he was faced with Nick stood in front of him, twisting his hands nervously. Harvey's facial expression immediately hardened.

"What do you want?"

"Harvey, come on - you can't just shut me out forever," Nick pleaded. "You know I'm sorry; when are you going to forgive me?"

"I don't know," Harvey growled. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to finish changing the bandages over the burns you caused." Okay, so he'd already finished, but anything to make Nick feel more guilty was fine by him. He went to close the door but Nick put his hand on it to stop him.

"Harvey please - at least let me explain - "

"What is there to explain, Nick?" Harvey asked. "I trusted you. And look what happened. Mike got hurt because of _you_."

"Harvey I _know_," Nick told him. "You don't think I feel guilty enough already? Let me at least apologise to Mikey."

"No," Harvey said. "The kid's been through enough; having his uncle apologise for setting him on fire will be a bit too much, don't you think?" Nick glared at him but tried to push past him into the condo. "Back off, Nick," Harvey growled, pushing him back.

It suddenly dissolved into a fight; both men were pushing against the other, and then punches started being thrown.

"Daddy!" Mike squealed, watching from a distance, his mouth open. "Stop it!" He bounced around them, trying to pull them off each other. "Unca Nick! Stop!" He tugged at Harvey's pants and - completely accidentally - Harvey moved back, causing him to brush and jolt Mike's injured arm.

He gave a cry and stumbled back, tears coming to his eyes. Harvey immediately stopped fighting with his brother, his eyes fixed on Mike. "Oh, kiddo - I'm sorry," he gasped, kneeling beside him while Nick held himself up in the doorway, trying to regain his breath. "Are you okay?"

Mike sniffed and nodded, rubbing at his nose. "Stop fighting," he pleaded, pulling at Harvey's arm. "Could get hurt," he frowned at his small sentences, as if he were truly incapable of talking like that when he was upset. Before he could do anything, Harvey swept him into a hug, not wanting him to rub at his mouth again.

The other night he was upset because he needed help using the toilet because his arm still hurt when he moved it - he eventually had an accident and from the time it took for Harvey to leave the room to grab clean clothes for the small boy (amidst his cries and childish words) Mike had practically _clawed _at his mouth. Harvey had come back to find spots where he had broken the skin and there was blood around his mouth where Mike had gotten so frustrated at his words that he had scratched rather than just rubbed.

Harvey wanted to make sure Mike never got that upset again.

And yet there he was, falling back into the regressed speech - and getting frustrated at it. No matter how many times Harvey had soothed him, telling him that it didn't matter how he sounded, Mike still loathed that it happened.

"Okay," he said softly. "It's alright, no more fighting."

"Can Unca Nick come in for a bit?" Mike asked, sniffing, looking imploringly at Harvey. The only thing he never seemed to get upset about saying when his speech became worse was 'unca'. Harvey never understood why Mike didn't mind this - it could have been because Nick adored being called it.

Harvey looked over to the man in question; pale and with a small bruise appearing on his cheek and sighed. He nodded and Nick cautiously came in, moving so he was away from Harvey and closer to Mike.

"Unca Nick!" The small boy showed no signs of fear, regardless of Harvey saying he was scared of him, and quickly threw his good arm around Nick's shoulder. "I missed you! I haven't seen youin ages!"

Nick breathed in and closed his eyes, bringing Mike into a hug. He wanted to pick him up, but knew he was skating on treacherously thin ice with Harvey so he settled for a small hug. "I'm sorry, Mike," he said quietly. "It's my fault you got hurt."

Mike frowned and pulled back, shaking his head. "Was not!"

"Was too."

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Alright," Harvey intervened, gently scooping Mike up and taking him back to the couch where his ice cream sat uneaten. "Finish your ice cream, kiddo," he said. "Nick," he turned to look at his brother for what seemed like the first time in days. "Kitchen," he cocked his head and they moved towards it, keeping their voices low as they talked.

"Okay - I get it, you're apologetic," Harvey said. "And I know I can't hold a grudge forever, since Mike doesn't seem to care that much anymore. Just let me say what I need to say. Alright?" Nick nodded quickly, seeing possible redemption in the near future. "I trusted you to look after him. You said you'd go home at 8, you said you wouldn't give him a sparkler and you said you wouldn't leave him on his own. And by your recollection - you did every single one of those things. Why do you think I was so pissed? Yeah, you got Mike hurt - I've never been angrier; but you promised me something and then you just went against it."

"Harvey - "

Harvey held his hand up. "You're my brother. I've gotten mildly attached to you over the years," Nick couldn't help but grin, "and I can't hate you forever. I just need to know why."

"I was going to leave at 8, I swear," he quickly said. "But the fireworks were starting, and I wanted to see them. You know how much I love fireworks," Harvey nodded, remembering when he had been dragged out at midnight by his younger brother to watch some when they were kids. "And I asked Mike if that was okay. And he said it was - and then it finished and they were giving out sparklers. I know you said he couldn't have one, but I thought he should get to have fun, Harvey - he'd been bored out of his mind that night and when I asked if he wanted one, he said okay. I know I shouldn't have left but it was just for half a minute, I swear to God."

Nick was still pale, and Harvey had to turn away for a moment. Half of him wanted to slap his brother for leaving the kid, but the other half wanted to instantly forgive him. Instead, he went into the freezer and pulled out tray of ice cubes, getting some out and wrapping them in a towel. "Here," he grumbled, passing it to Nick. "Put this on your cheek."

Nick did so, wincing slightly as he touched the delicate, bruised skin.

"I want to trust you again," Harvey confided in him. "I want to be able to leave Mike with you, knowing he's in good hands."

"You would be - "

"I just... I need some time. You got my son injured. I know it wasn't entirely your fault but..."

Nick shrugged. "I get it. Really. Can I just... can I maybe stay a while longer?" Harvey nodded and the younger man smiled, walking back to the couch where Mike was sitting watching _Ratatouille__._

"Hey, buddy," Nick gingerly sat next to him. "What are you doing?"

Mike shot him a look that was eerily _Harvey _to convey his 'what do you think I'm doing, genius?' feelings. Nick smiled slightly before saying; "Look, you know I never meant for you to get hurt, right?"

Mike nodded before passing him H.B. "You want H.B for a bit? You're hurt," he explained, pointing at his cheek when Nick looked confused at his sudden gift. "He helps."

"Does he?" Nick asked.

Mike nodded. "Uh-huh. He makes you feel better. But Daddy helps too," Mike bounced on the couch slightly. "He kisses it better."

"Oh he does?" Nick smirked over at Harvey. "It's okay, Mikey, you can keep H.B for now." Mike shrugged and hugged the bear to him as he turned back to the movie he was watching.

Nick blinked.

It looked like he was forgiven.

That was shockingly easy.

Although small children were easily trusting, he supposed.

He made a pact with himself right there and then to never let that trust get tainted or blunted again.

After a while, Mike had moved onto Nick's lap and was content to sit there as the movie progressed. "Mikey, say goodbye to Uncle Nick," Harvey said, walking over and gently resting his hand on the small boy's head. "He needs to go."

"No!" Mike whined. "Please let him stay a bit longer!" He begged.

"Mike, I need to go to the office for an hour, so you need to come with me," he said.

"Nuh-uh! Unca Nick can stay till you get back!" Mike told him. "Please let him? I'll be good!" He promised. "Please?" He begged, using the full force of his puppy eyes.

Harvey sighed and looked at Nick, who was looking back at him shyly, his eyes wide in his own silent plea. "Fine," he relented. Mike beamed and bounced on Nick's lap excitedly, and Nick's face broke out into a relieved smile.

"It'll be good," he said to Harvey. "I promise."

Harvey surveyed from a few more seconds before nodding in agreement.

* * *

><p>When he got back he opened the door to find that all of his lights were off. He saw the glow of a flashlight from near the TV and when he walked into the living room, he rolled his eyes.<p>

"Another one, Nicky? Really?"

A majestic looking blanket fort presided in the room, glowing softly with a faint light from the inside. Kneeling down Harvey looked into it, before smiling and shaking his head.

Both Mike and Nick were fast asleep, with Mike curled up and sucking his thumb, as Nick curled around him, holding the small boy's injured arm carefully and nuzzling into his hair.

"Alright," Harvey said softly. "I forgive you."

* * *

><p><strong>AN Mehhh, I'm not overly fond of how this chapter went, so if you want to tell me what you thought, that would be very much appreciated :) I really hope you enjoyed it though - it fought me quite a bit so I'm sorry if it took a while :)**

**Oh and I tried to do a bit of research regarding burns for this but... I'm not exactly a squeamish person but the amount of gruesome pictures I saw... I kinda gave up XD So if there is anything wrong with the treatment of the burns etc... I do apologise :)**


	20. Song Without A Reason

**Hey guys :D I'm happy you're all enjoying the story so far - and this chapter has been a long time coming XD Hopefully you'll all enjoy it - who doesn't love over-protective!Daddy!Harvey? ;)**

**And I am so, SO sorry about the wait D: As some of you know, I don't have internet in my new house - I just moved back for my second year of Uni so although I'm still writing, it's harder to upload things. Thank you all so much for being patient, I really hope you enjoy this :)**

**Oh! And also - look out for another multi-chapter story from me soon :)**

**Mike's age: Various**

* * *

><p><em>One of these days the world is gonna find you<em>,  
><em>And take you away from me,<br>The lights are gonna blind you,  
>Gonna make you complete,<br>A girl is gonna hurt you,  
>A woman's gonna set your heart on fire...<em>

_And even when you've left me far behind you_  
><em>No one's gonna love you like I do...<em>

- Josiah Leming; 'Song Without A Reason'

* * *

><p>Harvey had always known that the innocent years couldn't last.<p>

He'd kind of hoped they would. Maybe he could shield Mike from anything that could cause him to get corrupted or grow into a normal member of society and leave, going off to live his own life - causing Harvey no end of panic.

It wasn't like he hoped that Mike would be alone forever.

He just hoped that he'd maybe find a girl in college and... stay with her.

Or maybe not. What was the rush? He didn't need to find a girl. Not at all. Girls might cause him pain of some sort. He didn't want Mike to be in _pain_.

Okay he hadn't set the _best _example in the world, but he hadn't done _that _badly. But throughout the years Mike had participated in various trysts and love affairs - and most of them had gone well.

Until the inevitable end.

And Harvey had managed to refrain from saying 'I told you so' for most of those relationships. Of course, those times he didn't say it, he was too busy comforting his distraught son, mentally preparing a list of these girls in order to hunt them down.

It wasn't that he was an over-protective father. It was just that he wanted to make sure these girls were in it for the right reasons, so Mike wouldn't get hurt.

Okay.

Maybe he was a little over-protective as well.

* * *

><p><strong>Age: 4<strong>

"Hi, Karen," Harvey smiled at the tutor as she opened her door when he knocked.

"Hi, Mr. Specter," she smiled back. "How are you?"

"I'm good - you?"

"Likewise," she replied. "Would you like to come in for a minute? Mike's not ready yet. I think he's been forced to play against his will," she said, smirking but trying to hide it as she stepped aside to let Harvey inside her home.

"He doesn't usually have to be forced into playing anything," Harvey noted, curious as to what was happening deeper into the house.

Karen laughed behind him as they walked in. "Lizzy can be very strong-willed," she told him. "Especially round the boys. They play whatever she wants. And it's usually something they don't want to play."

Harvey raised his eyebrows, but it was soon explained as they entered a large living room that had maybe four children in there, playing. A loud girl with frizzy blonde hair was clearly issuing orders to the other three, and kept hugging Mike, who appeared to be dressed up in...

"Mike," Harvey said, trying not to laugh. "What are you wearing?"

Mike glanced up and saw Harvey. "Daddy!" He bounced up, relief at being saved clearly rolling off him in waves. "I didn't want to, she made me!"

Harvey snorted as the girl (clearly Lizzy) put her hands on her hips. "Did not!"

"She _did_, Daddy," Mike told him, pulling at his suit. "She said we were gonna play house and I thought she meant like the doctor but she said she was the Mom and that she wanted a little girl but there aren't any and she said 'cause I'm the youngest _I _had to be the girl but I didn't _want _to be," he explained, as if there was any doubt in Harvey's mind that the sparkly pink dress-up princess dress that was on his son was on there because Mike wanted it to be.

"Uh-huh," Harvey knelt down so he could look Mike in the eyes. "So did you let her put the make up on you as well?" Mike blushed and shook his head vehemently - and making the small pigtails in his shaggy blonde hair (that Harvey could tell Lizzy did as well - they were held up by some pink elastic that had plastic cherries swinging from them) swing from side to side.

"I didn't want her to!" He said, pulling at Harvey's sleeve. "But she said I had to! I don't wanna look like a girl," he whined, a tear cutting through the impressively thick make up on his face.

"It's okay, buddy," Harvey hushed him, standing up and taking Mike's hand. "I know you don't. Let's go get this off before we go home, huh?" Mike nodded and sniffed, following Harvey to the bathroom of the house. "Where are your clothes?" Harvey asked, trying to bite his lip to stop himself from laughing at the sparkly dress (not to mention the tiara atop the pigtails).

"Underneath," Mike said, pulling at the dress. "She said I had to wear just the dress, but I don't, do I?"

"No, kiddo," Harvey assured him, wondering if he should mention to Karen that this girl no doubt terrorised any younger brothers she had - and he really hoped it wasn't just early warning signs of anything sinister. She probably just liked the idea of being a Mom.

No matter how miserable Mike looked, Harvey couldn't resist getting his phone out and putting it on camera as Mike was turned the other way, before casually saying; "So... Louis fell over today."

Mike gasped in delight and twirled around to face Harvey, only to see the iphone and the sound of a picture being taken. "Daddy!" He clamoured, slapping Harvey's legs ineffectively.

"I'm sorry," he said, grinning. "I just thought that Donna would kill me if I didn't get any pictures." Mike pouted at him; thankfully unaware that the picture made it look like he was smiling and spinning in the picture - as if he were showing off his princess outfit.

It was adorable.

Nevertheless, he helped Mike step out of the dress before taking the tiara off his head and pulling the cherry hair ties out before thoroughly ruffling Mike's hair. "Better?"

"My hair's too long," he complained. "Lizzy said it looked girly so I _had _to be the girl. Can I have it cut?"

"Ask Donna," Harvey replied. "She's be upset if I cut off any of your hair without her say so."

"But it's _girly_!" Mike insisted as Harvey found some make-up removal wipes in a cupboard and started to wipe his cheeks.

"It's nice," Harvey told him. "I like your hair how it is." He sighed as Mike gazed up at him, his lips wobbling. "We'll see, alright? Now c'mon, grab a wipe and get the other side of your face."

Between the two of them, all of the make-up was soon off and Mike was grabbing his shoes and stuffing them on his feet, glaring slightly at Lizzy, who looked extremely put out that he once more looked like a boy.

"I hope you didn't miss anything for this," Karen said to Harvey as she handed Harvey Mike's bag. "I'm sorry - I would have had it all off him before you got here but; whatever he says, he got quite into playing."

Harvey grinned. "It's fine. I'll see you later." He turned to Mike. "Ready to go, buddy?" Mike nodded and took Harvey's hand, trying to steer away from Lizzy.

"Bye, Mike!" She nevertheless waved enthusiastically at him. "Next time you can be the dad!" She promised. "We can be married!" She squealed delightedly.

Harvey snorted as Mike's tugging became more persistent as they went out of the house. "C'mon, Mikey - didn't you have fun?"

Mike shook his head. "I didn't want to be dressed as a girl!" He insisted as they got to the car. "Lizzy and Miss Karen said I looked 'cute' - they kept acting like Donna!"

Harvey laughed as he strapped Mike into his car seat. "What's wrong with that?"

"It's embarrassing!" Mike insisted, squirming in his seat as Harvey got into his own and started the engine. "I don't wanna go back!"

"Yes you do," Harvey sighed.

"But what if there are more _girls _there?" Mike asked. "Girls are..." he trailed off, looking down at his hands.

"Girls are what, Mike?" Harvey asked, interested in what the small boy was going to say.

"Girls are icky," he mumbled, flushing. Part of him knew it was absolute nonsense but the stronger part at that moment in time knew it was right. He flushed more as Harvey laughed at that.

"Sure they are, kiddo," Harvey smirked. "Let's see if you still think so in 10 years."

* * *

><p><strong>Age: 7<strong>

"Harvey, dude, you gotta let me have Mike for a few hours."

Harvey jumped as his brother just burst into his condo, reminiscent of the various entrances the characters made in 'Friends'.

"Stop calling me 'dude'," Harvey half-heartedly chastised his brother as Nick strolled in like he owned the place. "Please, come in - I'm not at all busy."

"You're never too busy for me," Nick grinned at him. "And you didn't answer my question."

"It wasn't a question, Nick," Harvey informed him, raising his eyebrow as he started the vacuum cleaner. He usually did any of the domestic chores that needed doing when Mike was occupied in his room. He got a lot more done that way. "You just told me to give you Mike."

"Yeah, well - will you?"

"Why, what are you going to do to him?"

"Okay, so there's this girl - "

"No."

"I hadn't even - "

"No."

"Harvey!"

Harvey sighed and stopped vacuuming, turning to face his brother. "How many times do I have to tell you that I don't want you to use Mike to pick up girls?"

"I've already picked her up!" Nick explained quickly. "Wait, that sounds a bit wrong... Okay, basically - this girl, Louise. We got talking, one thing led to another - "

"Don't care, what's this got to do with Mike?" Harvey asked him, leaning against a bench in the kitchen, watching as his brother grabbed a banana and started eating it whilst explaining.

"Okay, so she has a niece that she wants to come with us to the park, and I mentioned I have a nephew and she got excited about how I'd be an amazing father and I promised her we'd take the kids to the park. So... please? All I'd be doing would be taking him to the park. Promise. And I bet he wants to go!" Before Harvey could protest, Nick opened his mouth (still slightly full of banana) to yell at the closed doorway that went to Mike's room. "Hey, Mikey!"

After a moment of silence, the door opened and a small, blonde head peered out. He soon beamed and bounced over happily. "Uncle Nick!" He grinned and launched into a hug.

"Hey, munchkin," Nick ruffled his hair. "I wanted to take you to the park - you up for it?"

Mike gasped. "Yeah! Can I?" He turned to Harvey. "Please, Daddy?" He begged.

"Yeah, please, Daddy?" Nick joined in with Mike's pout and puppy-dog eyes and Harvey sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Fine," he agreed. Mike cried out a 'yay' and ran to find his shoes. "Don't do anything stupid," Harvey ordered Nick.

"Who, me?" He said, pointing to himself innocently. "Harvey. I find your lack of faith disturbing."

Harvey found himself rolling his eyes again. "Okay, Vader, just don't get him killed."

Nick blinked. "It's the_ park_, Harvey, not an opium den."

Harvey snorted. "Of course. Bye, kiddo," he said as Mike slid back into the room before running over to give Harvey a hug. "Be good," he said, ruffling his hair and kissing his head.

"I will," Mike promised, pulling Nick with him.

* * *

><p>Nick had filled Mike in on the way to the park. "Okay, so Louise really likes me, so just act like you love me and that I'm awesome like I always am and it'll be great."<p>

"I thought you were taking me to the park to spend time with me?" Mike asked, frowning.

"Of course I am, buddy," Nick quickly reassured him. "Of course I am... But she just needs to see how awesome I am. Okay?" Mike frowned but nodded. "Don't look so blue, little monkey," Nick said, ruffling his hair. "It'll be fun. She's bringing her niece so you have someone to play with if I'm... busy."

"I don't want to play with a girl," Mike frowned.

Nick laughed. "Whatever - tell me that again in a few years," he grinned. "Her name's Becky and apparently she's a bit of a tomboy, so you'll have fun, right? I mean, there's the play equipment and everything."

Mike shrugged.

"C'mon, Mike," Nick wheedled. "Cheer up - I'll buy you ice cream," he said slyly. Mike glanced up and it was clear he was tempted. "_Vanillaaaa_," Nick sang. Mike fidgeted but nodded, looking shocked as Nick grinned and managed to pick him up, tickling him slightly.

"Uncle Nick!" He squealed slightly, giggling and trying to get away.

"Nick!" The man turned, still with an awkward clutch of Mike and saw Louise, stood with her niece - neither of them looking too impressed.

"So, no man-wrestling then," Nick whispered to Mike, putting him down before smiling and waving to them both. Mike walked closely to him as they approached, feeling like the girls were looking down on them. He didn't look bad - he was Harvey Specter's son - and Nick cleaned up well, but next to Louise and Becky; Mike felt very scruffy in comparison.

"Hey, Lou," Nick grinned at her.

"It's Louise," she said - in a tone that Mike quite honestly thought was like Harvey's when someone tried to talk to him like a human being rather than a rich lawyer.

Nick raised his eyebrow but smiled charmingly at her. "Sorry." She nodded before looking over at Mike. "Oh, this is my nephew, Mike," Nick said, smiling and putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

This is my niece, Rebecca," she replied, not even saying hello to Mike. The girl nodded at Mike and he could feel himself slowly frowning. "How about you kids go and play for a while," she said, practically pushing them both to the equipment. Mike glanced back nervously to Nick, who was actually looking slightly alarmed.

"Uh," Mike mumbled, glancing at the girl.

She didn't say anything and he wished he was back at home. Maybe he could feign death and get Nick to take him back. However, as soon as they were half hidden by the play equipment, the girl pulled the hair tie from her hair and let her hair tumble down, sighing.

"That's better," she told him. "It's always too tight when I'm staying with my Aunt."

Mike stared at her.

"Hi," she said, smiling. "I'm Becky."

"Not Rebecca?" He asked, smirking (because he liked this girl so he had to be mean to her).

She pulled a face. "You like being called 'Michael'?" She asked.

He grinned at her and stuck his tongue out, before climbing onto the equipment. He laughed as she still stood on the ground. "You scared?" He asked. "Or are you just being a _girl_?" He didn't mean it as an insult, just a playful jab - to see if she would be more playful than her Aunt seemed to be. He was surprised when she quickly shot up past him, climbing like a monkey and was soon above him, sticking her own tongue out.

* * *

><p>Nick wanted to kill something. He didn't really care what. Himself, maybe. That would be good.<p>

Or better yet, her.

He remembered her being a lot nicer and friendlier.

Well... he _had _been drunk. And so had she. Maybe that was why.

All he knew was that he definitely wasn't going to call her back. So he pretended his 'uncle senses' were going and went over to the equipment where the two children were giggling and playing. "Mike, buddy, ready to go?"

"What?" Mike looked crestfallen. "But I'm having fun!"

"I know, but, I need to go," he glanced over to where Becky was climbing before lowering his voice. "Listen, Louise is a maniac. Seriously; she's boring, rude and only talks about herself and the colour she's going to paint her chihuahua's nails tonight. We've gotta go. Ditch psycho-niece and let's go. Pretend to be hurt or sick or something."

"But I _like _Becky!" Mike whined. "She's nice! Please can we stay? Please?"

Nick - much like Harvey - couldn't last very long in the face of the puppy-eyes and sighed. "Alright; but just hurry it up a bit, alright? I'm dying here, man." He pouted and walked as slowly as possible back to Louise.

"What did your Uncle want?" Becky asked, shimmying down a pole so she could run over to the swings.

"Nothing," Mike shrugged, following her and quickly getting on the swings instead, pushing her out the way.

"Hey!" She whined, but couldn't stop the smile growing on her face. She pulled at him and soon she was sat on the swing seat.

After another hour of playing Mike and Becky tiredly made their way back to their respective relatives. "Hey, buddy," Nick grinned excitedly on seeing Mike. "Had fun?" He nodded and climbed onto Nick's lap, resting against him sleepily. "Aw man, Harvey'll be so happy," he laughed. "I don't think there'll be any argument about bedtime tonight, huh?"

Becky hadn't attempted to climb on her aunt - she knew better than to get her clothes dirty and just sat on the bench, leaning against Louise and rubbing her eyes.

"You still want ice cream?" Nick asked, smirking. Mike rubbed at his eyes but nodded. "Okay, munchkin, let's go find some. Are you... are you coming as well?" He asked tentatively, looking over at the females.

"I don't think so," Louise said. "It'll ruin her appetite. And she doesn't want to be fat!" She said in a falsely-light tone. Becky caught Mike's eyes and pulled a face, as if deciding to change her body shape just to spite the aunt she only saw once a week.

"Well maybe another time," Nick said, smiling. "Alright, bye," he quickly got Mike to say goodbye before pulling him away by the hand quickly. "Oh man that was the worst," he sighed, glancing back nervously. "You were the worst wingman ever!" He decreed, looking down at the small boy. "Where was the infamous cock-blocking?"

Mike just smirked. "I had fun," he said, pulling on his hand. "Thanks, Uncle Nick."

Nick rolled his eyes but couldn't help but smile. "You're welcome."

* * *

><p>When they got back to the condo, Harvey smiled at Mike being given a piggy-back by his uncle, worn out from the amount of play. "Here we go, kiddo," Nick said, reversing slightly into Harvey so the man could slowly take hold of Mike and get him on the floor. He gave the kid a hug and ruffled his hair.<p>

"You have fun?" He asked. "How was Uncle Nick's friend?" Mike pulled a face, making him laugh. "Still think girls are icky?"

Mike hesitated, before shrugging. "I liked Becky. Can I play with her again, Uncle Nick?" He asked, tugging on Nick.

"What, you want me to set you up on your first date?" He teased, giving Mike a small noogie.

Mike giggled and pulled away, shaking his head vehemently. "No! She's a stupid girl! But she was fun."

Harvey snorted but realised that in maybe 5 years he would have to give 'the talk'.

He really wasn't looking forward to that.

* * *

><p><strong>Age: 9<strong>

"Dad I don't _want _to come to the office!" Mike whined. He was perfectly happy playing with his superhero figures at home with Uncle Nick and he didn't want to sit in on one of Harvey's meetings.

Harvey raised an eyebrow at the uncharacteristic behaviour. "You don't? You usually love coming to the office."

"But I don't want to sit in your meeting when I can't help!" He whined. "What if I have an idea that could help and you won't let me tell you?"

Harvey smiled at him. "It's okay, kiddo, you're not sitting in on the meeting."

"Am I staying with Donna?" He asked, making Iron Man fly through the air.

"Nope - remember the party last week?" He asked lightly. Mike frowned, remembering how it had ended, but nodded. "You remember Franklin Anderson?"

Mike nodded. "Gabby's dad?" He confirmed.

"That's the one," Harvey replied. "Mr. Anderson thought it'd be good if he brought Gabrielle along so you and her can play while we talk business. Sound good?"

"No!" Mike said, wrinkling his nose. "She won't want too play with me - she'll want to play with... dolls and - and _ponies _and pink things and I wanna play with my action figures and she'll _cry _and be a _girl_!" He moaned. Instead of the agreement and consolation he was expecting, Harvey simply laughed before ruffling his hair.

"Oh, Mikey," was all he said, grabbing his briefcase and Mike's backpack. "C'mon, kiddo - if you're good we can get pizza tonight."

* * *

><p>"Mike!" The girl bounded over to give him a large hug before pulling away and blushing, looking down at the pink bag she had in her hands. Mike looked over at Harvey with a pained expression on his face but the man just shook his head.<p>

"Mr. Anderson, the kids'll be fine playing in my office," he said. "Shall we go to the conference room?"

The man nodded in agreement and gave his daughter a kiss on the forehead before leaving. Mike went to tug on Harvey's jacket as he went to follow suit. The man turned and sighed, shaking his head. "Mike, be good. We'll be back soon."

"But, Daddy - !"

"Be. Good," he said sternly, before squeezing his shoulder and smiling at Gabrielle as he left the room.

Mike pouted over at Donna who was sitting outside and she simply smiled at him. He scowled but thought that it might be okay. He had played a bit with Gabby at the party and it hadn't been that bad. She was busy pulling things out of her bag, scaring Mike slightly as everything she pulled out was pink.

"What have you got?" She asked with interest, looking over. He showed her the superheroes he had and she gasped happily. "You have dolls!"

"They're not _dolls_!" He insisted, pouting slightly. "They're action figures! See? This is Batman, and this is Iron Man, and this is - "

"They can marry _my _dolls!" She told him, grinning; she had a gap in between her front teeth where she had clearly lost one (when Mike started losing his teeth he thought he would never get away from Harvey or Donna again, every time he smiled he somehow got a hug that they refused to let him out of). She pulled out a few barbies and soft toys and arranged them around her. Mike shuffled back, climbing onto Harvey's desk chair and starting to play on his own.

"Hey!" She whined unhappily.

"What?" He asked, looking down.

"Play with _me_!" She insisted, her hands on her hips. He stuck his tongue out but suddenly a barbie flew across the room towards him, smacking him on his forehead.

"Ow!" He cried out, throwing one of his own toys back at her. It struck her one the arm and she cried out as well. "You got beat by Batman!" Mike declared, getting off the chair and grabbing his toy back.

She sniffed before grabbing her own. "Well you got beat by barbie!" She quickly rummaged in her bag and pulled out a small outfit, changing the doll in record time. "Now she's a super-barbie!" She declared, pretending to make her fly through the air.

"That's dumb," Mike scoffed. "She doesn't have any super-powers."

"Does too!" Gabby argued. "She can fly and she can talk to animals and she has a unicorn!"

"They're stupid powers," Mike told her, grabbing Spiderman and moving the wrist to make it look like he was webbing someone. "Spiderman can climb buildings and shoot web from his wrists and swing around the city and he has Spidey-senses too!"

"I hate spiders," Gabby said, but perked up when Mike made Superman fly in. "I like Superman!" She told him, making her barbie fly through the air towards Superman. "But no one can beat super-barbie," she giggled, making her fight the superhero.

Donna had been following the whole thing through the intercom and had been close to going in a few times to tell them to behave, but when she had stood up it seemed the children had decided to play together. After a while she looked over and grinned, seeing Mike running around, holding Iron Man in the air and 'shooting' barbie, who was chasing him.

She knocked on the glass door after nearly half an hour of the play and walked in, carrying a tray which held drinks and snacks. "You kids having fun?" She asked.

"Yes thank you, Miss Donna," Gabby smiled sweetly at her, making Donna's heart melt. This was one of those times she wished Harvey could have had a de-aged female associate instead of a rambunctious boy who constantly had muddy clothes - even if he hadn't _been _near mud.

"Donna, you wanna play too?" Mike asked - over-excited and as such practically vibrating in his attempts to stay still long enough to drink and eat. She had once asked Harvey if he thought Mike had ADHD but he waved her concerns away - the kid may be hyperactive, but there were no other symptoms of such a disorder.

"It's alright, Mike," she said gracefully, pulling a face at the way he stuffed the cookies she had brought in, into his mouth, whereas Gabby daintily nibbled them. "I'm going to be right outside again, alright?" She asked, leaving the tray on Harvey's coffee table. The two children nodded and she left, occasionally glancing over from her desk.

As much as she sometimes wished Mike wasn't such a messy, active boy - watching him playing and grinning, she wouldn't want him to be any other way.

* * *

><p>"Ready to leave, Gabs?" Mr. Anderson walked through the door.<p>

"Daddy!" She squealed, bouncing up to hug him. "Can't we stay longer? I like playing with Mike!" She pleaded, causing both Mr. Anderson and Harvey to laugh slightly.

"Hey, kiddo," Harvey said, ruffling Mike's hair, feeling mildly put out that his greeting was less enthusiastic than Gabby's had been to her own father - Mike had simply waved at Harvey; immersed in trying to stand all of his figures up on the carpet. "Had fun?" Mike nodded, pouting when the toys tumbled and stood up to pay more attention to what was happening.

"Sorry, Princess, we have to go. Maybe another time," Mr. Anderson promised Gabby, who frowned but nodded. "Mr. Specter," he said, smiling and shaking Harvey's hand. "Thank you. I'll see you again some time."

Harvey smiled and returned the gesture.

"Bye, Gabby," Mike said, not looking really bothered that she was going.

"Bye, Mike!" She said, quickly bouncing forwards and kissing him on the cheek before giggling and quickly leaving. Mr. Anderson raised and eyebrow at Harvey before following, leaving Harvey to smirk down at his shell-shocked son.

"Got yourself a girlfriend, kid?" He asked, chuckling at the blush that was creeping up Mike's face.

"She kissed me!" He said, staring up at Harvey as if the older man didn't know. "She kissed my cheek!"

"She did," Harvey agreed.

Mike frowned, rubbing at his cheek and miming throwing up, causing Harvey to laugh and ruffle his hair.

* * *

><p><strong>Age: 13<strong>

"Um... Dad?" Mike crept into the room, twisting a baseball cap in his hand nervously. Harvey was typing something on his laptop, and glanced up, before seeing Mike's unease and stopped.

"Yeah?"

"I'm, uh... can... Can I have a lift to the movie theatre?" He asked quickly.

"Sure," Harvey replied nonchalantly, before rolling his eyes and snagging Mike's sleeve as the boy nodded and went to leave the room. "Hold your horses, kiddo. Why so nervous? What's going on?"

"Nothing!" Mike protested, blushing as his voice cracked slightly.

Harvey snorted. "Yeah. Sure. Out with it, kid. You going to some kind of drugs drop? Do I need to have bail money ready?"

"What? Dad, no!"

"Then what is it?"

"I'm just... I'm just meeting a friend there. We're going to go see a movie."

"That part was obvious," Harvey said. "Which friend?" He didn't think Mike had many friends. The kid had originally been in a class of seniors at High School before Harvey decided to let him join a class of kids his own age. He was still doing the Senior work, but he needed the socialisation he should be getting at school. It had been a hard transition and the kid was shy - Harvey doubted he'd make many friends in his class.

"Just uh... you don't know them," Mike said, blushing slightly.

Harvey smirked. "You're meeting a girl, aren't you?" He asked. Mike blushed more and Harvey gave a triumphant laugh. "Mike, are you going on a date?" He asked.

"Maybe," Mike mumbled in reply. "Can you drive me there please?"

"Maybe?" Harvey repeated. "Well, is it or isn't it?"

"We were just talking about the movie," Mike said, not meeting Harvey's eyes. "And we both wanted to see it. So she asked if I wanted to go. That's all," he glanced up looking slightly worried. "Does that mean it's not a date?"

"Depends - do you like her?" Harvey asked, leaning back slightly in his chair. The blush on Mike's face gave him the answer. "Then it's a date. Ask her out for another one afterwards if you had fun."

"But, but I... how do I... I don't - " Mike floundered, at a loss.

"What, Mike?"

"How do I?" He asked. "Ask... ask her? How do I ask her out on a date?" He whispered. As much as he still very clearly remembered being an adult, the hormones that came with puberty were causing havoc on his mental state and he was more into the teenage mind than ever. Usually he could probably be quite charming but now... now he was an awkward boy wondering how to ask the pretty girl out.

"Aw, Mikey," Harvey smiled, ruffling his hair. "It depends what you want to do. Ask her if she'd like to go again sometime, ask her to go do something fun after it, ask her if you can have her number - the worst that can happen is that you get rejected. But I wouldn't worry," he added, seeing Mike's stricken face. "Specters don't get rejected by women. Just be yourself, alright? Just," he quickly added, seeing Mike smile, "don't drown her in trivia about the movie, alright?" He said, knowing from experience how Mike would just babble about what they were watching.

"Okay," he murmured, standing up. "Can we go, please?"

"Sure," Harvey stood up and grabbed his keys. "Just don't wear that hat," he added, taking it out of Mike's hands. After quickly rearranging Mike's collar and trying to make his hair look semi-groomed he grinned. "Alright, you ready to sweep her off her feet?" He asked, grinning. Mike smiled back slightly, fidgeting. "You'll be fine," Harvey assured him. "You need me to pick you up afterwards?"

Mike shrugged. "I'll call."

Harvey nodded, following Mike out the door. As he did so, he quickly sent a text.

_Donna - Mike's going on an actual date. Wait outside the movies when he comes out in about two hours and see what you can find out about the girl he's with._

He'd do it himself but Mike would expect him to be outside there - and his cars weren't exactly subtle. Donna on the other hand... he wouldn't notice her tailing them.

* * *

><p><strong>Age: 15<strong>

"Mike, come sit here for a minute," Harvey waved him over to the couch as Mike came in. He was grinning after an afternoon spent with Gemma; she had been given prosthetic feet after the crash they had both been in, and was doing a lot better.

Mike raised an eyebrow but went to sit down opposite Harvey.

"So... you and Gemma," Harvey began. "How are... how are things?"

"Good," Mike grinned. "Really good."

"Are you... have you... you like her?" He asked. Mike blushed but nodded. "That's good," he said, fidgeting. Why was it so hard to talk about this? He knew he should have gotten Donna to do this instead. Or even Nick. "You uh... is she officially your girlfriend?"

Mike frowned but nodded, blushing.

"That's good," he repeated.

"Dad, is this going anywhere?" Mike asked. "I mean... I have stuff to do."

"I'm just..." Harvey floundered slightly. "I know you like this girl," he said. "And I just... I want you to be sensible, and - "

"Oh my god this is not happening," Mike groaned, jumping up from the couch. "Dad, come on, you don't have to - "

"All I'm saying is that - even though I don't think you really _should _be doing anything - "

"Dad please stop," Mike hid his face in his hands, mortified.

"Just... be sensible. If you need... you know," he coughed awkwardly. "If you need condoms will you just... ask me first?"

"Dad this conversation is so over!" Mike gasped, quickly escaping to the sanctity of his bedroom.

"Just be safe, son!" Harvey yelled so Mike could still hear him. "And remember that consensual sex is - "

A wall of music suddenly stopped him from even hearing himself. He shook his head, going to find something very alcoholic to drink. He knew deep down he didn't need that conversation. Mike was smart and really, he could still be adult. But he had just gotten so used to Mike being his kid, he just... he forgot that Mike might not need reminding of these things.

Still, just in case, the next time Gemma came round - after she had left, Mike went into his room after a shower to see a box of condoms sitting on his desk.

* * *

><p><strong>Age: 16<strong>

Mike breathed out, looking at himself in the mirror. He pulled the bow tie slightly and scowled at the reflection. Everything looked wrong. The tie was crooked, his hair wouldn't go right and he was worried he'd look stupid next to everyone else.

Having just gotten his bachelors from NYU, the university was holding a prom of sorts for everyone who had graduated. So the group that Mike was part of had been cordially invited as well. It had been a nightmare asking Gemma to the prom. Sure, they had been dating at the time but it was still... it was awkward. How do you ask someone to prom?

He'd somehow managed it and had to go through the pain of being dragged around by Donna as she took him to buy a corsage for Gemma.

And now he was stood in his bathroom, trying to breathe slowly, knowing that his father, uncle and pseudo-mother were stood outside the door, each with their own camera.

He growled slightly at his appearance, feeling a panic attack coming on when he couldn't get the bow right. There was small knock on the door in response.

"Mike? You okay?"

"Uh-huh," he said in a strangled, high-pitched way.

He thought he could detect a sigh and heard the door handle shake. "Open the door, kiddo."

"I'm not ready," he said shakily.

"I used to bathe you, let me in."

He sighed but unlocked the door, opening it to be faced with Harvey, looking slightly concerned. "I can't get the tie right," Mike grumbled, looking down. "And my hair won't go how I want it to, and - "

"Mike," Harvey stopped him. "You look good. Let me fix the tie," he retied the bow tie and grinned at Mike when he looked up. "You'll knock 'em dead," he said sincerely, squeezing his shoulder.

"Harvey, is he decent? Can I see yet?" Donna insisted from somewhere in the flat and Harvey laughed.

"Donna have I ever told you that my son is the most handsome, well-dressed kid in the world, and will definitely be crowned prom-king?"

"Dad," Mike blushed, wriggling out of the grip on his shoulder. "It's not like that, I don't think they do that at college proms. Besides, even if they did, I'm not popular enough to get prom-king."

"Whatever you say," Harvey said, holding his hands up before getting elbowed to one side by Donna.

"Oh, Mike!" She said, tears coming to her eyes. "Look at you! You're going to break a lot of hearts!"

"Hopefully not," he murmured, blushing.

Donna tutted and pushed him back into the bathroom before turning to Harvey. "Get out of here, Specter; I need to make Junior look good."

"I thought I already did?" Mike asked, pouting slightly.

"Sure, sweetie," she smiled at him, making him sit on the side of the bath as she approached him with various implements including a hairbrush, a comb, some hair gel and hair spray.

He heard Nick laughing from the doorway. "Nice one, Mikey – is she going to do your makeup and help you pick out shoes as well?"

"You're not being very supportive," Mike mumbled, glaring at his Uncle and twisting the perfect bow tie.

"I'm being incredibly supportive!" Nick argued. "I came round, didn't I? And I gave you the uh… I gave you some stuff!"

Mike flushed a deep red, causing Donna and Harvey to look at Nick suspiciously.

"What did you give him?" Harvey asked, glancing between the two of them.

"Nothing," Mike said hastily, glaring once more at Nick.

"Nick I know you've never been into drugs but so help me if you've slipped him something – "

"Jesus, Harv – you think I'd drug my own nephew before his prom?" Nick asked, sounding sincerely hurt. "It's nothing, really."

Mike nodded at Harvey, praying he would let it go. Nick had cornered him while Mike was grabbing something in his room and had shut the door, motioning for Mike to sit on the bed. He had then pulled out a box of condoms with very serious instructions (abruptly followed by a wink and a few nudges) and a surprisingly romantic, philosophical view on sex.

"Mikey, I don't know exactly how you feel about this girl, but only do this if it feels _right_. You got me? Sure you could both say that you're in love and it'll feel like it's going to last forever – but you're both young, you don't even really understand the whole notion of love. I'm not saying that in a patronising way, I'm just saying that it's complicated, you have to be sure that you want this. It's a huge step up in trust. And I think you might be too young to be doing anything – but trust me when I say I know what teenage boys are like. Just… promise me that you'll _want _it. Alright? Really want it. Not just wanting to get in her pants," he paused slightly as Mike flinched and blushed, "but wanting to be that close and intimate with her. Can you promise me that?"

Mike had nodded and Nick grinned. "Cool. So, no babies, alright? If I ever hear the words 'great-uncle Nick' and it's not just an adjective on my awesomness I will hunt you down. Got it?"

"I got it," Mike said, grinning slightly.

"Okay. Well that's my uncle-duties and important-advice-about-life-giving over for about another two years. How did I compare with your dad?"

"He stuttered a lot then left a box of condoms in my room," Mike shuddered, remembering how badly that conversation had gone. Nick had laughed and taken a condom out and put it in Mike's wallet, before passing it over to him.

"Only if it feels right. Got it?" Mike had nodded again before grabbing his suit and making his way to the bathroom.

"Seriously, Nick – if this is something that will get him kicked out of prom – " Harvey warned, a glint in his eyes.

"Dad, it's not drugs or alcohol, leave it alone," Mike begged, finally feeling Donna finish his hair.

"Perfect!" She exclaimed. "Oh look at how good you look!" She trilled, preening slightly as Harvey and Nick glanced in to look.

"It looks the same," Nick said, confused.

"Well when was the last time you styled your hair?" Donna scoffed.

"What? I do it all the time!" He replied, affronted. I even had the black stripped out!"

"I'm not blind," Donna tutted, pushing Mike up to persuade him to look in the mirror. "I realised 6 years ago when I saw you and said, 'Oh, you had the black stripped out,'."

Mike glanced at his watch and jumped up, scrambling to put his jacket on and pull at the bow tie one last time before leaving. "I need to go, I told Gemma I'd be at hers soon," he gabbled touching his hair slightly. Donna lightly slapped his hand and Harvey grabbed his keys and Nick.

"You had better get good pictures of them as a couple, Nicholas!" Donna threatened him, wishing she could go – but it had been a fight to even allow Harvey to drop him off at Gemma's house. Nick had then argued his case that he wanted to take pictures and – as a professional photographer, they would be 'awesome' and 'better than any one else's in the world'.

"Alright, come on, kiddo," Harvey put a hand on his shoulder and guided him towards the front door. "Let's go sweep her off her feet. Or… the plastic equivalent of them."

Mike pushed Harvey slightly as Nick snorted, and they quickly left the condo after Donna had given another small sob and carefully hugged him in case she crumpled his suit.

* * *

><p>Although Donna and Nick had wanted to stay, Harvey had managed to get them to leave – a small, selfish part of him wanted to be the one who would first hear all about the prom. He felt strangely nervous as it neared 1am – Mike knew he had a curfew then; and it was only extended that long because the prom finished at 2am and there would also be a few teachers there to keep an eye on things.<p>

Finally, he heard the door open and straight away stood up, pretending to be doing something that would cause him to be looking at Mike. "Hey, kid," he said casually. "How was prom?"

Mike went straight to his room and shut the door.

Ah.

Not as well as he might have hoped then.

As much as he knew that Mike liked being on his own sometimes after… whatever had happened, Harvey didn't want him to be. It wasn't that he thought Mike would do anything stupid; it was just that he wanted to be able to offer up some sort of comfort.

"Mike?" He knocked on the door. On getting no answer he tried again. Eventually he just walked in. He frowned on seeing Mike curled up on his bed, staring at nothing. Harvey sat beside him silently for a while before touching him gently on the shoulder.

"How was prom?"

Mike mumbled something and shrugged.

"Mike."

Mike shuffled up slightly, casting his eyes downward. "It was good. We danced, we talked, we danced some more, she cheated, we broke up, I came home – how was your evening?"

Harvey sighed and got himself comfortable. "What happened?"

"What I said. We danced. She… she really enjoyed it," he ducked his head, worried that Harvey would see the tears. "She hasn't danced since… since the accident. She kissed me on the dancefloor. And when she got tired we sat down and watched everyone else dancing and… there was this guy there she kept looking at. She… she knew him from the lab – he asked her if she wanted to dance and she said yes and asked if I could get a drink for her when she got back. When I got back with the drinks I couldn't see them on the dancefloor so I went outside. She was… they were in the… they'd gone outside and I saw them kissing and I just went back inside and danced with some other people and when she came back in she tried to kiss me so I told her I'd seen and she asked me to forgive her but I just… I couldn't."

Mike shook his head, tears cascading down his face. He hurriedly swiped at them, sniffing – Harvey could tell he had been going downhill since he stopped trying to breathe whilst telling his story.

"So I…" he gulped, swallowing thickly before continuing, "I asked her why she did and she said she didn't know but she still wants to be with me. So I said… I said how does she know that if she kissed someone else and she… she started crying and asked if I was breaking up with her and… and I said yes," his voice was now a whisper. "Then I left and I think she went back to that guy but I… I don't know…"

"C'mere, Mike," Harvey said quietly, allowing the teen to practically curl up in his arms, burying his face in Harvey's neck and sniffling occasionally. "I know it hurts," he whispered, rubbing his back. "And it won't be easy to get over – and you won't believe this now but it _will _get easier. Trust me."

Mike nodded but had his eyes squeezed shut, occasionally letting out small sobs. When he was quiet, Harvey rubbed his back again. "You want me to leave?" He asked softly – not wanting to himself, but if Mike wanted to be alone, he would respect that.

Mike just shook his head, clutching on slightly tighter to the older man, as if he thought Harvey would abandon him too.

"It's okay," Harvey soothed. "It'll be okay, Mikey…" He kept shushing him and rocking slightly, and although he seemed calm and quiet on the outside – on the inside he was on fire, anger fizzing up at the thought of Gemma cheating on Mike. He didn't know why the girl did it – she had always seemed like such a nice person.

It was then he decided that if any girl had any intention of hurting Mike, they had to go through him first.

* * *

><p><strong>Age: 17<strong>

Harvey tiredly entered his condo, dragging his feet slowly and quietly in case he woke Mike up. It was half past 2 in the morning, and he had been called to work at half past 11. After leaving hurried instructions to his son, he left.

Mike was now 17 – there was no way he would need checking in on and Harvey was all for going to bed after locking up but… he heard noises. As he got closer to Mike's room the noises got louder and he paused outside the door.

"Mike?" He knocked before opening the door slowly, seeing the only light was from his desk lamp. Glancing in, he saw a shape on the bed and groaning. "Mike?"

There was a gasp and Mike whirled around, clutching the bedclothes to himself. "Dad! What are you doing? Get out!"

"What are – " Harvey then saw a girl cowering beneath the sheets. His eyes widened and for once he was speechless.

"Get out!" Mike yelled.

Harvey simply did as he was asked; closing the door and quickly unlocking the front door, knowing that soon enough the girl would be making a very swift exit. He walked into his room to take his suit off but no sooner had he taken off his tie and jacket he heard the front door slam. He walked back into the living room and saw that Mike was getting a drink from the fridge, the tips of his ears bright red.

"Well that was something I never needed to see," Harvey said, trying to turn it into a bit of a joke.

Mike jumped, spilling some of his drink. He turned and his face was a dark red colour. "Sorry," he mumbled. "But you uh… you should've knocked. It's _my _room!"

"It's _my _house," Harvey replied. "And you didn't even _ask _before inviting this girl round. Who _is _she? How long have you known her?"

"A while," Mike mumbled, fidgeting.

"What's her name?" Harvey asked. "I didn't think you knew many girls apart from…" He trailed off; Gemma's name now a taboo in their household.

"Her name's Gina," Mike murmured. "She's… she's one of Ryan's friends." Harvey pulled a face, letting Mike know exactly what he thought about Ryan and anyone associated with him.

"How long have you been going out?" He asked.

"We're… we're not technically, we just met up today and usually it's just kissing and stuff but… Why am I talking about this with you?" He suddenly raged, going back to his room.

"Were you being safe?"

"Jesus, Dad – "

"Well?"

"Yes! Can I go to bed now?"

"We'll be talking in the morning," Harvey warned him. "Have a shower. Oh," he added as Mike tried to flee, making him scowl and turn back, a pained expression on his face. "Was this your first time?"

His face got even redder. "I'm not going to answer that! And technically – "

"We don't count anything that happened before, you know that," Harvey told him. "So, really? You lost it to her?"

"You don't know a thing about her!"

"Do you?"

Mike glared at him before going into the bathroom and slamming the door.

Harvey sighed, already dreading tomorrow. Maybe he should plan out what he wanted to say? He texted both Donna and Nick for ideas.

* * *

><p>However, in the morning he woke up to two replies. There was the expected 'Does he even know this girl? Were they being safe? Was it consensual?' from Donna and the (unfortunately) equally expected 'Tell the kid I said congrats, didn't think he had it in him' from Nick.<p>

"Mike," he said, striding out into the kitchen where the teen – very surprisingly – was. It wasn't unusual for Mike to stay in bed until at least half past 11 in the morning. Having checked his watch, Harvey saw it was only half past 9. "Sit down."

Mike slowly sat down, staring up at Harvey with his mouth slightly open. Harvey knew this face well – it was the same face Mike pulled when he didn't know what was coming, when he almost wanted to listen to what Harvey had to say. Mostly, it just made him look innocent.

"I know this isn't really any of my business, Mike but – do you even like this girl?"

Mike snorted. "I'm sorry you saw what you saw, but… you saw that – you think I don't like her?"

"I think you like her body and looks," Harvey said, raising an eyebrow. "Do you like her personality?"

Mike shuffled. He hadn't liked Gina at all when he first met her. But he kept bumping into her, or she was with Ryan and they talked more and bitched at each other and it just seemed… fun. Almost flirting but not really. She still laughed at him when she lit up a joint and he declined but apart from that… she wasn't _that _bad… was she? He had wondered at first what her sudden interest in him was but he hoped it was just because she liked him as well.

"Where's this going, Dad? Like you said, it's none of your business," Mike muttered, looking down at the table.

"I'm just saying you should be careful – learn from your mistakes."

"Oh, so you're saying she'll cheat too?" Gemma was always a sore-spot for him.

"No, I'm saying that you should just watch out. From your silence to my question I'd say you don't like her that much. And let me give you some first-hand knowledge… rebounds aren't fun. Not for you, and not for her."

"She's not a rebound!"

"Really?" Harvey raised an eyebrow. "Because I'd say that you haven't really known her very long. Why are you only doing anything now?"

"Oh so what, she must be interested in me because of your money, right?" Mike growled, standing up. "That could be the only possible explanation for it, right?"

"Mike, that's not what I said – "

"No, but it's what you implied," Mike grabbed his jacket. "I'm going out – I have my phone, my keys and my wallet. I promise I'll come back," he said, knowing that it was easier than having Harvey worry and chase him round Manhattan.

Harvey sighed and shook his head, fiddling with the phone in his own hand as Mike left. It really _wasn't _any of his business – Mike had to learn these things for himself; just being told what to do in every scenario wouldn't help him later on.

But what if what the kid had said was right? Harvey hadn't implied anything regarding their monetary situation, so it had to have been in the back of Mike's mind for a while before bringing it up. Harvey felt anger rekindle inside of him – the same anger he felt whenever Gemma was mentioned. The thought of someone using Mike's emotions to possibly get some money… he didn't even know how to react; or how Mike would react if it turned out to be true.

* * *

><p>Mike slunk back into the condo about 6 hours later. He muttered an apology to Harvey and looked like he was going into his room.<p>

"Not so fast," Harvey said, beckoning him over. "C'mere."

"Dad, I already said sorry, but like you said it's _my _business, so if you would just - "

"You met up with her, didn't you?"

Mike gave an odd, twitchy shrug. "Maybe. So what?"

"So you went there when you were angry," Harvey said, eyeing Mike carefully. "What did you say?"

"Nothing," Mike mumbled, before deciding it would be a hell of a lot easier to just say so he could escape. "I asked her why she suddenly wanted to be with me and she made up a load of bullshit that was easy to see through and then I asked her if it was about the money and she acted really offended."

"'Acted'?" Harvey questioned.

"Reading people runs in the family, right?" Mike said wryly, not addressing the obvious that it may very well run in the family but - genetically that wouldn't apply to him. "So I just... kept pressing till it hurt," he gave a small smile. "It did kinda hurt."

"What did she say?" Harvey asked, his eyes narrowing.

"She said it was a bet between her and her friends to see how much money the 'genius rich kid' would spend on her. Now I look like an idiot," Mike sank down onto the couch, sighing.

"No, you don't," Harvey assured him. "How much did you spend on her?"

"You know I barely have any money," Mike pointed out.

"You'd have a lot more if you did your chores or got a job," Harvey replied, raising an eyebrow. "So you didn't end up spending so much?"

Mike shook his head. "Maybe that's why she wanted to uh... y'know. Thought maybe I'd owe her more or something stupid like that." He put his arm over his face and breathed out for a bit before sitting back up. "Wanna watch Star Trek?"

Harvey smirked but nodded, not saying anything more about Mike's failed love life. He was only 17 after all - he had plenty of time.

It didn't stop him plotting revenge on this girl - and he was sure that Donna would be more than happy to get in on the act.

* * *

><p><strong>Age: 19<strong>

"So... I called Gemma," Mike said casually - a day or two before starting work in the firm. Harvey glanced up in surprise.

"Why?"

Mike shrugged. "Miss her. It'd be nice to have a friend, y'know?"

"You have friends."

"Not like her."

"Mike," Harvey sighed. "Pining isn't good. Just... leave it alone."

"No - I left it for nearly 3 years and who knows what could've happened if I'd just tried to make things work," Mike said, frowning.

"Okay, fine - what did she say?" Harvey asked, knowing this would just end badly for his son.

"She said she'd be happy to meet up," Mike said softly, playing with a pen that was lying abandoned in front of him. "It uh... it didn't last. Between her and that guy from the lab."

Harvey made an odd sound in his throat that could have been a mix of a growl and a sigh but nodded, showing he was listening.

"I just... I thought I'd tell you," Mike said, going towards the door. "I'll see you later."

"You're meeting up with her now?" Harvey asked, his eyebrow raised. "Mike, are you sure - "

"Bye, Dad," Mike quickly left, not wanting to stick around and have any more doubt put in his mind about Gemma. They had been close. She had possibly been his best friend - even if there wasn't a chance of being with her; he still didn't want to give up on that friendship.

* * *

><p>"Mike! You came!" Gemma hugged him tightly, and Mike returned it; even though it was slightly awkward.<p>

"I was the one who set it up, right?" He grinned at her.

"I just... it's stupid but I had this idea you were just going to not turn up and I'd be here on my own," she smiled slightly. "But you're not that kind of guy."

Mike shook his head. "No, I'm not."

Gemma bit her lip. "Walk for a while?" She softly took his hand but he didn't pull away; instead they started walking through the park, not really saying anything. They finally came to a stop by a bench and Mike - knowing Gemma's limits, made her stop and rest.

"Honestly, I'm fine," she protested, sitting down anyway. "You don't have to be so nice to me."

"Yes I do," he murmured.

"No - you don't," she said, suddenly very firm. "Why am I allowed to get away with what I did? Why weren't you angry? Why try and get back in touch with me?"

"Because I _can't _be angry with you," Mike said, his voice cracking slightly. "We're... I... I loved... I miss you," he said quietly. "I don't like not even being friends anymore."

"Mike you can't just forgive me for not even _trying _to make it right!" She complained.

"Yes I can," he said firmly. "I... I don't know if I can just trust you again," he confided in her, to which she gave an almost relieved nod. "But... I really want to be friends again."

She beamed at him, taking both of his hands. "I missed you too," she told him. "And maybe... who knows - maybe when you're some big corporate lawyer and I just won a Nobel Prize for something - maybe by then you might have managed to trust me again."

Mike gave a small smile. "Are you, uh... have you been, um... that is..."

"Have I been seeing anyone?" She asked for him. At his nod she smiled. "Yes. You?" He nodded too. "I'm actually seeing someone now," she told him, almost wishing she didn't have to tell him. "But I... it's not too serious but..."

"Stay with it," he advised her. "See where it goes. And maybe... maybe one day we'll both be single and..." He tailed off, blushing slightly.

"Maybe," she smiled at him. "Until then... anyone in your life?" She teased slightly. "Aren't you working at Pearson Specter soon? Maybe there'll be someone there!"

"Yeah, sure," he snorted. "If I wanted to go out with someone 10 years older than me, then maybe. And even if I did - Donna would kill me."

"What about your dad?"

"My dad would get a background check on them and then corner them in the file room and threaten them to stay away," he smirked at her. "You got off lightly."

"Oh?"

"He was planning all sorts of things for you."

She gave a laugh and pulled a scared face that was mostly genuine.

* * *

><p>Mike didn't tell Harvey how his meeting with Gemma had gone, but he seemed a lot happier, and although he sometimes couldn't resist sending Nick to 'accidentally' bump into Mike if he was out with her - he knew to leave it alone and let Mike make his own way.<p>

He didn't know if they were going to go back out, but apparently that was a possibility only in the future, as one day Mike entered his office with a goofy smile and a blush on his face.

"What's got you so happy?" He asked, glancing over to Donna, who shrugged.

"Did you know they've just taken some college grad interns in the mail room?" Mike asked. "Yeah, I had to go down there to get something and... I met this girl - "

"Sit down," Harvey said.

"Dad, I'm not a kid anymore, you don't need to - "

"What's her name?"

"Katie," he blushed even just saying her name. "She's trying to work her way up to be a lawyer. We talked for a while."

"Last name?"

"Hart, why?"

"No reason - what does she look like?"

"I'm leaving now."

"Where does she live?"

"Doesn't matter, Dad."

"You get her number?"

Mike tapped his nose and left the office, deciding to go down to I.T instead and talk to their head of maintenance, Benjamin.

Harvey glanced out at Donna. "See what she looks like, where she went to school, if she has a record - the usual."

"And if she's the loveliest girl in the world?" Donna questioned, a smirk on her face.

"Invite her for dinner."

He was happy to let Mike make his own way in life - both professionally and personally, but; as his father (and also mother), it was his duty to make sure that Mike got a girl that matched his good heart, innocence and optimism.

And if he had to scare away a few in the process that what did he care?

His first priority was always Mike, and he didn't hesitate to let people know that.

* * *

><p><strong>AN I was going to go on further into the future but that may have to be a whole other chapter because this became way longer than I thought it would XD Please let me know what you thought - again, so sorry about the wait but with lack of internet... what can you do? **

**I really hope you enjoyed it, and like I said - look out for a new story from me at some point; if you look on my profile it's the one called 'Behind The Mask' :) Thanks for being so patient, I really appreciate it :)**


	21. Sibling Rivalry

**A/N Hey guys :D I'm glad you liked the last chapter :) ****So I've had this chapter in my head for AGES now and I've only just gotten round to writing it :P I've also got another chapter of this on the go as well, not to mention the next chapter of my new story 'Behind The Mask' (which I highly suggest you read ;))**

**Oh, and I've stolen a character from _CuppaChar's _'Growing Up Is Hard To Do, Letting Go Is Harder' because even though he was there for a tiny bit I think he's awesome (and anyone who's good friends with Nick is one of my good friends ;)) :)**

**Mike's Age: 5**

* * *

><p>"Hey, buddy - wake up..."<p>

Mike made a small mewling sound and buried his head underneath his pillow, not wanting to wake up.

"C'mon, Mike... You need to get up..."

Mike gave a huff but finally extracted himself, although he let some tired, frustrated tears loose at not being able to get his sleep.

"Aw, c'mon, Monkey - no tears today," Harvey said softly, pulling him up to let him get on his lap. He started rubbing Mike's back as he sniffled, hiding his face in Harvey's collar bone. "You need to get up and get dressed."

"Don't wanna," Mike mumbled. Usually he was like any other five year old - eager to get out of bed and usually waking around 6 in the morning and already wired up with energy and ready to go. But he had gone to sleep late that night - Harvey's parents had been round and Mike had wanted to stay up until they left; just about managing it but then practically passing out at half past 10.

He felt Harvey stand up and carefully carry him out in the main room, still holding him as he went into the kitchen to get breakfast.

"What do you want for breakfast, Mikey?"

"Nuthin'," he said sullenly, angry at being woken. He heard Harvey sigh and rock him slightly.

"Mike, you need to eat breakfast," Harvey paused, before shrugging and saying casually; "I _was_ going to make pancakes, but if you don't want anything, I guess I'll have to eat them on my own."

Mike slowly moved his face out of Harvey's chest. "Pancakes...?"

"Yeah, I even got some whipped cream, but - "

"Chocolate chip pancakes?" Mike asked, pulling at Harvey's shirt slightly.

"Possibly," Harvey rubbed his back. "You think you can go get dressed while I make these?"

Mike nodded - the pull of food much stronger than tiredness; which was quickly going as he was faced with the smell of a good breakfast. Just as he was pulling a t-shirt on, he paused.

Why was Daddy making pancakes?

They were for celebrations or commiserations.

Or if he wanted him to be really good...

Mike frowned, betting he knew what he was supposed to be good for.

Harvey had met a woman.

At least three times a week he would tell Mike to be good, have him be minded by Donna or Nick and leave to see this woman. At first Mike didn't mind - he'd gotten used to the idea that Harvey would have girlfriends and he'd actually really liked a few of them. The only thing different about this one, was that she lived on the other side of the city, so Mike hadn't met her yet.

Mike left his room, clutching onto H.B and chewing on his ear, worrying slightly.

"What's wrong?" Harvey glanced down, seeing that Mike was a) holding his teddy like it was his last day with it, and b) only wearing a t-shirt. "You need any help with your pants, buddy?"

"No!" He said stubbornly; having genuinely forgotten he still had yet to put them on. "I can dress myself! I'm not a baby!"

"I know," Harvey said gently, ushering him back into his room to finish dressing. "How about you keep at it, okay? You can have your pancakes when you're dressed."

"Where are we going?" Mike suddenly asked, deciding his questions were a lot more important than soon-to-be-burnt pancakes or being half naked. "You never make pancakes. What's happening?"

Harvey gave a small laugh and ruffled Mike's hair. "Too smart for your own good, you know that?" Mike stuck his tongue out. "Go get dressed and I'll tell you, okay?"

Mike pouted but left, this time pulling all of his clothes on and quickly rushing back and climbing onto a chair, eagerly digging into his pancakes.

"Slow down, kiddo, you want to choke?" Harvey asked, slightly amused as he drank some coffee.

"Where are we going?" Mike demanded to know. "Is it Disneyland?"

"Not today, buddy," Harvey laughed. "We're going to go see Lauren today. I've told you about her, haven't I?"

"She's one of your friends," Mike said cautiously, looking at him suspiciously and ignoring his food. "Right?"

"She's a very good friend of mine," Harvey replied. "You'll like her. She has a son as well," he said, hoping to calm him but only serving to make Mike's eyes narrow. "He's a little older than you but I think you'll like him."

"What's his name?" Mike asked.

"Alex," Harvey replied. "And he's a great kid, so you should get on well."

"But I'm a _greater _kid, right?" Mike asked, pulling on Harvey's shirt.

Harvey laughed and ruffled his hair. "Sure you are, buddy. But don't tell him I said that. You ready to go?"

Mike shrugged but pulled his shoes on, as Harvey waited patiently for him to tie them into a weak knot. He attempted a double knot but it fell apart, and he looked up at Harvey with sad eyes.

"It's okay, monkey - you did really well," Harvey praised him. "We're getting there, huh?"

"Can _Alex _tie his shoes?" Mike asked, taking Harvey's hand as they left to go down to the car.

"Alex is six," Harvey reminded him. "But yes, he can."

Mike frowned slightly but didn't say anything else, unsure of whether or not he wanted to actually _meet _these people.

* * *

><p>"Mike, this is Lauren. Lauren - this is Mike."<p>

The pretty woman smiled at him, bending her knees so that she could look him in the eye as she spoke to him. "Hi, Mike. Your Dad talks about you all the time."

"He does?" Mike said - and Harvey frowned at how excited and surprised that had sounded. "He hasn't ever talked about you."

Harvey wanted to hit his head off the wall because it seemed like he was finally getting the cock-blocking that Mike seemed to keep in reserve for Nick - which was probably only because he'd accepted that Daddy had to have other friends too, but why on earth should that be the same for Uncle Nick?

"Well now you've met me, so I guess he doesn't have to talk about me, huh?" Mike shrugged and wasn't very forthcoming with conversation, but in all honesty Harvey was just happy he hadn't just stuck to him like glue, refusing to talk. "Would you like to meet my little boy?"

"I'm not little!" A voice piped up from behind her.

She laughed. "Sorry, honey. Mike, this is my _big boy_, Alex."

Mike watched with slight interest as she pulled him in front of her. Alex had short brown hair, a contrast to Mike's in-need-of-a-haircut blonde locks, and the older boy had brown eyes to match. He seemed the polar opposite of Mike - he was tall for a six year old, whereas Mike was small for his age. He was also quite dumpy, whereas Mike was thin; apart from some of the lingering baby fat on his face that Harvey knew would soon vanish. He looked at Mike curiously for a second before beaming and waving eagerly at Harvey.

"Hi, Harvey!"

Mike looked up at Harvey, who had smiled and bent to ruffle the boy's hair. "Hey, Alex. You okay?"

"Yep! You said you'd play catch with me next time you came!"

Mike felt an odd squeezing in his stomach as the boy said that. Harvey had been here before and met Alex? And this was only the first time Mike was meeting them? It was almost as if Harvey was embarrassed about him.

"That's right, I did. You have your glove?" The boy nodded and ran upstairs; presumably to get his glove and a ball.

Mike bit his lip slightly.

Harvey had never offered to play catch with _him_.

"So, Mike - are you in school?" Lauren asked, trying to keep him involved. Mike, however, didn't really _want _to be involved with her, and just nodded, moving back slightly to be closer to Harvey. "What's your favourite thing in school?" He shrugged, looking at the floor. "Harvey said you like reading," she encouraged, apparently not swayed by his lack of communication. "Do you have a favourite book?"

Mike glanced up at Harvey, who sighed. "Mike, don't tell me you've finally become shy. It's polite to reply to someone when they ask you a question," he put his hand on Mike's shoulder.

"I like Harry Potter," he murmured, taking a firm hold of Harvey's pants leg.

"Me too," she nodded, looking very serious. "Which one's your favourite?"

"I like the dragons in the Goblet of Fire," Mike said, growing only slightly more animated but still refusing to let go of Harvey. "And Quidditch. And I like..." He trailed off, not sure what else to say. He liked _everything _but had only babbled endlessly at Harvey.

"He told me he likes the Room of Requirement," Harvey replied for him. "And the spells."

"Which spells do you like?" Lauren asked him and - for the first time in a while, Mike noticed that he was being talked down to and wished she wouldn't.

"Patronus," he whispered, looking at his feet. "Gets rid of bad things."

"It does," she agreed, nodding. "I think dementors are scary."

Mike nodded as well. "I'd want a dinosaur as my patronus. Or a puppy, 'cause I really want one but Daddy says I can't."

"You said you wanted a monkey," Harvey chipped in.

"But you already have one so we don't need another," Mike replied cheekily, grinning at Harvey who flashed a smile in return and tickled him slightly.

"That's true."

At that moment, Alex bounced down the stairs holding his glove. "Can we play now?" He asked.

"Actually," Lauren said. "I have an idea. How about you and Mike play a game? Hmm? Harvey and I will chat for a while as you do that. What do you think, Mike?" She asked softly.

The smaller boy shrugged but was pushed forward slightly by Harvey. "Okay," he whispered, quickly losing any spark he had gained whilst talking with Lauren. He crept forward and shyly held out his hand and was soon given the baseball by the older child.

"Go out back," Lauren told him, so Mike just followed Alex's lead, leaving the adults to themselves.

Harvey heaved out a long breath and closed his eyes for a second.

"He's as adorable as you say he is," Lauren told him, putting her arm around his waist and walking over to the couch so they could sit and watch the kids play.

"I've never said he's adorable."

"You talk about him all the time," she reminded him wryly. "I was starting to think he was that perfect he was just in your imagination," she teased him, before glancing outside. "You didn't say he was so shy."

"I didn't think he was," Harvey sighed. "Usually you can't get him to shut up. I don't know which one's worse."

She gave a small laugh. "Alex hasn't stopped talking about you," she informed him. "He can't wait for you to play catch again."

Harvey nodded. "It'll be nice - I've tried with Mike a few times but... kid's not very coordinated. And he doesn't seem to have much interest."

"Go play with them," she said, pushing him off the couch and outside. "He might surprise you."

Harvey kissed her and got up, walking outside, quite proud when both small boys looked happy that he was there.

"Daddy, I caught the ball!" Mike told him, running over and pulling on his legs.

He laughed and ruffled his hair. "That's great, kiddo. Think I can have a go?" Mike nodded eagerly, but the smile left his face when he realised that Harvey was taking the glove off him so that he could play against Alex.

After watching for a few moments, Mike realised he probably wouldn't get another go and left, not wanting to stay and watch Harvey play with someone else. He trudged inside, and didn't even notice Lauren, until she saw him loitering by the door.

"Did you have fun, Mike?" He gave a non-committal shrug. "Let those two play and come tell me more about your favourite book," she encouraged, slowly coaxing him onto the couch. "Does your Dad read you it as a bedtime story?"

Mike nodded. "Sometimes," he said quietly. "Sometimes he makes them up too."

"He does?" Lauren said in an excited gasp, as if she couldn't - in her wildest dreams - imagine anything better. "About what?"

"Anything," Mike said. "Dinosaurs or superheroes or... or pirates or knights..."

"That sounds good," she said indulgently. "So if he doesn't always read you Harry Potter, does someone else?"

Mike shook his head. "I read it myself."

"There are lots of big words in it," she said, disbelieving.

Mike shrugged. "I'm good at reading," she told her, pulling himself into a small ball on the couch, before realising he still had his shoes on and pulled them off, rubbing at his eyes.

"Are you tired, Mike?" Lauren asked him softly.

He shrugged. "We got up early," he told her, rubbing at his eyes. "I don't need naps anymore," he said sternly. "Really. But Daddy makes me have them anyway."

"Silly daddy," she said, happy when he gifted her with a small smile. "Don't worry, I'm sure when you're a big boy of six you won't have to take naps."

"Does Alex?"

She shook her head. "No, he doesn't need them anymore. But if you were awake early, maybe you should have a nap."

Mike shook his head, rubbing his eyes. "Don't need one."

"Alright," she said placatingly. "Well just let me know if you get tired, alright?" Mike sniffed but nodded, gazing outside forlornly.

Why did Harvey like this other kid so much? It didn't make any sense to him - the kid was boring; Mike tried to talk to him and push past his shyness but he just thought he was better than Mike because he was six. And he was greasing up to Harvey; surely he could see that? Just cause Alex didn't have his father in his life, didn't mean he had steal _Mike's__. _He didn't see him trying to steal Lauren, did he?

Should he try that?

He immediately decided against it. She was nice and everything, but he _much _preferred Donna.

Speaking of...

He now really wanted Donna.

He knew he was five - he knew that he should act older than this, but he couldn't help it. He was upset and Harvey was ignoring him for some other kid. And if Alex was acting older to get the attention, maybe acting younger would get him some as well?

He rooted through the bag that Harvey had packed; apparently under the impression they would be spending the whole day here - there was even one of his books and H.B in there; and a blanket from home that was presumably for naptime (which he was still adamant he didn't need, and only did it grudgingly once every week or so and apparently Harvey was convinced he'd need one today). He finally found Harvey's phone and put it in his own pocket before turning back to Lauren, who hadn't really noticed.

"I need the potty," he announced. She went to stand up and he flushed slightly. "I can go on my own," he told her quickly, stepping back.

"Okay, sweetie," she smiled. "It's this way," she walked him to the bathroom and opened the door. "There's a step if you need it," she told him, closing the door and walking away.

He scowled at the door in response but realised he _did _kind of need to go dammit, and quickly did so, washing his hands before calling Donna.

"_Harvey? I thought you were seeing Lauren today?_"

"Donna?" As soon as he heard her voice, Mike felt tears welling up. He _really _wanted her right now.

"_Mike? Sweetie what are you calling for?_"

"Donna I miss you," he said - not quite bawling but close enough. "I want _you_, not Lauren! Please come get me and Daddy, I want to go home!"

"_Mike, calm down,_" she instructed softly. "_What's wrong? Why do you want to go home?_"

"Daddy's playing with Alex and I don't _want _him to, but everyone's saying he's a _big boy _and now I'm stuck with Lauren but I want _you_!" He wailed down the phone.

"_Is Harvey there, Mike?_" She asked him. "_Can I talk to him?_"

"No, he's outside playing," he sobbed. "Come get me - _please_, Mommy!"

"_Oh, sweetie..._"

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Mike?" That was Harvey. "Buddy, are you okay?"

He sniffed and tried to stop crying, but couldn't hide the phone in time for Harvey to walk in.

"What are you doing?" He asked, crouching to look Mike in the eyes. "Mike?"

"I want to go home!" He cried, rubbing at his face, letting Harvey take the phone off him.

"How many times have I told you not to steal my phone?" Harvey asked him. "You don't make calls on Daddy's phone!" If Mike was acting like a toddler, Harvey was going to treat him like one. He quickly read the caller ID and groaned. "Donna, everything's under control, I'll call you later." He hung up and surveyed Mike. "You're tired," he remarked. "You're going to lie down for an hour and then you're going to be good. Come on," he grabbed Mike's hand, regardless of the crying and pulled him out of the room.

"Lauren do you have somewhere he can sleep for an hour?" Harvey asked, having to raise his voice over Mike's cries. She nodded and took them to a spare bedroom. Harvey made him get on the bed, passing him the blanket he had brought. Mike sobbed into the soft fabric, curling into a tight ball. Harvey sighed and rested a hand on his back.

"What's up, kiddo? Huh? Are you just tired?"

Mike shook his head - he was _exhausted _but that was only part of the reason. He wanted to go _home_. Where Harvey wouldn't ignore him for someone else.

But now he was getting attention. Maybe if he kept acting like this Harvey would forget about Alex and stay with _him_.

He continued sobbing but wriggled down the bed and crawled onto Harvey's lap. The man sighed but started running his fingers through his hair, rocking him gently. As much as Mike wanted to make this moment last, he realised how tired he actually was and very soon fell asleep, chewing on his blanket.

An hour later, when he woke up, he was in a slightly better mood, but it didn't stop him clinging to Harvey. When he realised that Alex was _glaring _at him he couldn't help but snuggle closer to Harvey, for once glad that he was younger and smaller than the other boy.

Finally, Mike realised they were leaving and was soon animated, happy to be going back to where it was just them. He chattered happily with Lauren and even started playing slightly with Alex - although the kid didn't look happy at sharing his toys.

"Bye, Mike," Lauren said, smiling at him as he pulled his shoes on. He held a foot out to Harvey, who rolled his eyes but knelt to die the lace.

"_I _can tie my laces, Harvey," Alex said smugly. Mike tried to tug his feet away and tie the laces himself, glaring at Alex. Harvey saw this and let him, knowing how important it was to Mike to not be seen as a little kid to the older boy. He didn't know that Mike was deliberately acting younger to get more attention though, so wasn't prepared for Mike to hold his arms out to be picked up when he'd tied his shoes.

Harvey did so though; knowing the kid was still tired and rubbed his back as he gave Lauren a small kiss on the lips and ruffled Alex's hair.

"We'll see you another time," Harvey said, smiling. "Hopefully we won't have such an early morning or late night, huh?" He looked at Mike who hid his face in Harvey's neck.

"We'll come to see you," Lauren promised. "Maybe at work as well - we'd love to meet Donna after everything you've said about her, wouldn't we, Alex?" The boy nodded and Mike ground his teeth.

He was determined not to share Donna as well.

* * *

><p>They seemed to constantly be meeting up with each other. Lauren would come round on her own or Harvey would go round hers; and then sometimes both Lauren and Alex would show up at their house, making Harvey push them both into Mike's room to play.<p>

It wasn't like Alex was a _bad _kid either - he was like any other six year old boy and Mike realised he actually had fun playing with another boy who didn't care if he made a mess or dirtied his clothes. But there was still a small, niggling doubt in the back of his mind about how Harvey would soon make this permanent and Mike would have a sibling and a mother.

And as much as he didn't mind Harvey seeing women - he wasn't ready for that.

He especially wasn't ready for Alex to 'accidentally' slip up and call Harvey 'daddy'. Mike's jaw dropped when he said it and he gazed over at Harvey with wide eyes, wondering what he was going to do. The man blinked before smiling and ruffling Alex's hair, acting as if it was normal. They had been eating dinner at the time and Mike had just slid off his chair and walked out of the room, going into his own bedroom and pulling H.B close to him - wanting comfort from Harvey, whatever form he chose to get it from.

Mike also noticed that Harvey was taking Alex out a lot more as well. He would ask to go as well, and sometimes Harvey would let him - only to find out they were going to the batting cages. He tried hard, tried to swing but missed more times than both Harvey and Alex put together. Harvey always consoled him and told him he'd get better - told him that when he was _older _it would be easier, but rather than it being encouraging, it cause Mike to become even more upset.

So he stopped acting younger for Harvey's attention - no more making him help Mike use the toilet, or get dressed and tie his laces, and no more tantrums and being clingy. He was going to act older instead. Because then Harvey would do more things with him, like he does with Alex.

Except this doesn't work either. Because he eagerly runs his own bath, only to get distracted and leave it running - and it was only luck that caused Harvey to walk in and see the bath close to overflowing, hurriedly turning the taps off and putting Mike in a time out.

He tries to put himself to bed, but this doesn't work either, because he doesn't like not being tucked in anymore and walks out only twenty minutes later and pulls Harvey to his room so he could be put to bed _properly_.

The last straw for Harvey was when Mike attempted to make his own food. Thankfully Harvey had been close to the kitchen anyway, and knew the sound of the gas stove being turned on, and quickly went in to shut it off, giving a _very _stern lecture to Mike about how he shouldn't try to make food without an adult there (again, going for the patronising tactic because he assumed it annoyed Mike the most) which was followed by a lengthy time out.

Harvey had even added Alex to the board in the kitchen - Mike's board, which had a memo board on one side, and the other had room for magnets. Mike climbed up one day and found that Alex had more stars than he did - and that on the memo part, there were reminders to take Alex to different places.

Mike felt his lip wobble and he decided to go back to acting childishly. Maybe if he did that, then Harvey wouldn't want to leave him and go somewhere with Alex - maybe he would stay instead, and send Alex home?

Mike clung to Harvey as much as possible, whenever he had a chance. Whether it was getting on his lap, taking his hand or making grabbing motions to demonstrate that he wanted to be picked up. And it seemed to work. Harvey would have no choice but to give him attention - even if Alex was there, Mike was taking up most of his attention and he couldn't really do anything about it.

But there were times when Harvey simply moved Mike to one side, or refused to pick him up, and he would make sure he paid attention to Alex and Lauren. Lauren who was there constantly, and no matter how Mike acted towards her, she would always act very magnanimous towards him. And she and Harvey must have talked, because she decided she knew everything about him, regardless of how much they actually interacted.

Donna didn't seem to enjoy this. It was proven when Lauren and Alex visited the firm one day. Donna watched from outside as Mike curled up in a corner reading, chewing on his thumb and glaring over at Alex who was excitedly talking about the different baseballs Harvey had on show.

"That's so cool, Harvey!" Alex gushed, picking up one that made both Mike and Donna's eyes widen. It was one of his most prized possessions and he didn't even tell the kid not to touch it.

Mike huffed and put his book down, leaving the room and clinging onto Donna instead as Harvey humoured the other boy, talking to both him and Lauren. Feeling very familiar tears come to his eyes, Mike buried his face in Donna's legs and let himself cry slightly in frustration - resigning himself to living in a world where he had a mom and a big brother that his dad liked more than himself.

Donna rubbed his back, knowing exactly what he was feeling and thinking. It amazed her that both herself and _Nick _could tell what Mike thought about Harvey's current romance and yet the man in question had no idea that Mike wasn't happy. He just thought he was acting up and put it down to him being tired sometimes.

She wished she could actually _tell _Harvey what she knew, but it wasn't hers to tell - and every time she finally gave up and _tried_... something always interrupted them.

She glanced over to the office, where Harvey was kissing Lauren and hugging Alex goodbye. Donna gently pulled Mike off her and gave a fake smile to Lauren when she approached

However, Donna raised an eyebrow as Lauren picked Mike up and cuddled him, stroking his hair and planting a kiss on his temple. "Goodbye, sweetie - we'll see you soon, alright?" She beamed at him and put him down, before glancing at Donna. "He likes getting affection," she explained. "I noticed how much he likes getting Harvey's attention, so if I were you, I'd give him a few extra hugs every once in a while." She smiled and left.

Donna had given her a fake smile, and was grinding her teeth. "'He likes getting affection'," she mimicked, growling as she picked Mike up - who hadn't been ready for it and gave a small squeak but nonetheless clung onto her. "Who does she think she is? I'm perfectly aware of what you like, aren't I?" She asked Mike as she walked into Harvey's office. The small boy nodded (half out of fear) and chewed on his thumb as Harvey glanced up, wondering what on earth Donna was angry about.

"Are you alright?"

"It's like she's decided she's his mother! Am I no longer good enough? What, I don't know him like she does, is that it?"

"Donna what are you talking about?"

"She can't give me parenting advice! That kid of hers could do with a few extra hugs and a few less desserts! At least you're healthy," she said to Mike seriously, who nodded in agreement, glancing over at Harvey. "I give you enough hugs, don't I?" Mike nodded frantically as she squeezed him in a bid to show off her hugging skills.

"Okay, Donna - how about you pass me the kid before you break him?" Harvey suggested, slowly reaching out and taking Mike from her, putting him down and letting him stand up. "What was that about?"

"You know I've done a lot for Mike," she told him. "You may be a good dad and sometimes you're a good mom but there'll come a time that he needs an actual _mother _and I'm sure I'm adequate for the role, don't you?" Harvey simply nodded. "And when that time comes, Specter - if you're not offering me the position and you're giving it to _her_, then I'll know where we stand!"

With that she flounced out of the room, leaving Harvey to stare at Mike. "What was that?"

Mike shrugged but got in a glower of his own as he retreated to the couch to grab his book. "Ask Alex, you like talking to him."

Harvey's eyes widened.

Everyone had gone mad.

* * *

><p>The final straw for Mike came on a day when he believed Harvey had genuinely abandoned him in his hour of need.<p>

Regardless of how dramatic he had made it sound, Mike still felt betrayed.

Lauren and Alex had come over one day and were sleeping over. This had happened a few times and - whenever Mike tried to protest, he was silenced by a look given to him by Harvey. When it came to going to bed Mike had demanded an epic rivalling _The Aeneid_ for his bedtime story and Harvey had made something up, talked for maybe half an hour before both Mike and Alex finally fell asleep.

Mike was woken in the early morning, however, by a loud crash of thunder. He managed to keep his squeak mildly quiet, and glanced over at the other boy, who hadn't woken. Mike could hear the rain lashing down on the windows and all too soon the room was momentarily lit up by a flash of lightning.

Mike quickly grabbed H.B - he never left it anywhere when Alex and Lauren were round on the off chance the other boy tried to play with it - and made his way quickly to Harvey's room. He went onto his tiptoes and managed to open the door, making a beeline for the usual side of the bed.

However, Lauren was taking up that side. Another roll of thunder and Mike dashed to the other side, tugging at Harvey desperately.

He mumbled something before rolling over, blinking blearily at the five year old. "Mike? Y'okay, kiddo?" He managed to make out the storm sounds and instantly understood, pulling Mike up under his armpits when the kid held his arms out in desperation. "It's alright, buddy," he soothed, rocking gently as Mike cuddled into his chest. "It's just a storm..."

"Harvey?" Lauren murmured, evidently having been woken. She sat up and saw Mike in Harvey's arms. "Is he okay?"

Harvey nodded. "He doesn't like thunderstorms... It's okay," he whispered as Mike tried to bolt when more lightning appeared. "Wanna stay in here tonight?"

Mike nodded quickly - he didn't even mind that Lauren would also be in the bed, as long as he could be closer to Harvey during the storm. Harvey moved him between the two adults and Mike quickly continued his cuddling, sucking his thumb and clutching H.B with his other hand.

"Are you sure keeping him in the bed's a good idea?" Lauren asked sleepily, still sitting up. Mike stiffened and looked up at her.

"What do you mean?" Harvey asked, frowning slightly.

"Well he should really learn to sleep in his own bed - I have a friend whose son did exactly the same thing and now he's 10 and they're still trying to make him sleep on his own."

Harvey frowned. Surely it wouldn't make much difference? It was only on rare occasions that Mike climbed into his bed. And it was for legitimate reasons - if he'd had a nightmare or felt sick, or if there was something bothering him; like the storm. Harvey usually selfishly liked it - it meant Mike looked to him first and foremost for comfort and protection.

Not that he didn't already know that but it was still nice to have it clarified every so often.

"I made the same mistake, believe me," Lauren told him, seeing him hesitate. "Alex only very recently stopped with his pacifiers after I let him carry on, thinking he'd grow out of them on his own. You keep up with this, and I guarantee he'll still be crawling into your bed when he's 10."

Mike snuffled and tightened his grip on Harvey, not wanting to be taken back to his own room. Unfortunately, Harvey seemed to have been somewhat swayed by what she had to say.

"C'mon, buddy - let's see if we can get you settled in your own bed," Harvey whispered, standing up.

"But Daddy!" Mike wailed, tears coming to his eyes. "I want _you_! I don't like the storm!" He dissolved into sobs and Harvey had no choice but to sit back down and attempt to calm him.

"It's alright... you know it can't hurt you. It's just noise," Harvey soothed, rocking the small boy and looking over to Lauren for help.

"Mike, sweetie - don't you want to be a big boy like Alex? He doesn't cry at something as silly as a thunderstorm," she cooed - trying to be helpful. Most kids would strive to be seen as a big kid - and Mike, with his competitiveness with the slightly older boy, should have acted the same.

If anything, it just made him feel worse. He knew how much Harvey liked the other boy, and trying to be like him had gotten him told off for being 'silly' or doing things he wasn't allowed to do without an adult there. He was sick of them expecting him to act like the other, seemingly perfect, boy - he had tried to act older and they hadn't noticed, and acting younger had just gotten him a telling off.

He wanted them to leave.

He wanted Lauren and Alex to leave their lives and leave Mike alone with Harvey - to have his attention again and not have to try and live up to anyone else; to still look like the perfect son in his dad's eyes.

It seemed like he couldn't do anything right anymore.

He just cried more, refusing to let Harvey take him back to his room - and if he did, then he would just wake Alex up and no one would get any sleep.

"Mikey, just try to calm down," Harvey sighed, rubbing at his own face in slight frustration - something Mike picked up on. Maybe Harvey _did _want him acting more like the older boy?

He sucked in a breath to try and calm himself and held his hands over his ears whenever he heard thunder. The storm was thankfully moving away and soon his cries were just sniffles.

"Well done, buddy," Harvey praised, rubbing his back. "Back to bed."

Mike's bottom lip stuck out at not being allowed to sleep in Harvey's bed but was too worn out to complain as he was quietly taken back to his room and gently placed in bed - tucked in softly. Harvey's fingers brushed through his hair in an attempt to soothe him into sleep and - as much as Mike hated to admit it - it was working.

"Wanna stay with you, Daddy," he murmured. "Want Lauren to go - _my_ bed."

Harvey gave a small smile that was marred by the ghost of a worried frown. "I think you'll find it's my bed, kiddo. You like Lauren - you're just tired. Go to sleep," he hushed, waiting until it looked like Mike had done so before leaving.

As soon as he had left and Mike heard the bedroom door close, he got back up, going through his wardrobe quietly in an attempt to find his 'Finding Nemo' Wellington boots.

"What are you doing?" Alex roused from his sleep, rubbing at his eyes.

"Nothing," Mike mumbled, sticking them on his feet - not bothering with socks - and also pulling on a warm jacket.

"Are you running away?"

"Go to sleep."

"You're such a baby!" Alex scoffed. "I bet you won't even do it! You can't go anywhere anyway! You only have your Daddy - _I _have my Mommy _and _my Daddy and lots of grandparents and other people."

"Shut up," Mike whispered, feeling scared. He no longer wanted to leave, but now that Alex had bet he wouldn't, he had to prove him wrong.

"Is this just because you think your Daddy likes me better?"

"He doesn't," Mike argued, although even the six year old could tell Mike didn't believe it.

"It's _raining_," Alex said, actually sounding quite concerned when Mike slowly crept out of the room and towards the front door. "There's a storm. I'll tell my Mommy!"

"Don't care," Mike sniffed, managing to get the door open. "They won't care either. They want me to be like _you_ - but I don't _want _to be like you; so I'm going to be grown up and leave home and then they won't care anymore."

With that, Mike left, leaving an open-mouthed six year old in his wake.

* * *

><p>Mike had been terrified, walking in the middle of the night and in the storm - although it was quickly going - but his stubbornness made him plough on, knowing exactly where he was going. His 'Finding Nemo' rubber boots splashed in the puddles and he could feel the rain steadily falling onto the hood of his jacket. He hadn't grabbed his water-proof; just a warm hoodie - which was a very bad idea considering it was soaking up the water like a sponge.<p>

Regardless of the fact that he was only five, he managed to find his way to the familiar bar. He could hear music and talking, along with laughing and shouting and he pushed the heavy door open, dodging past people and finding his way to the bar.

He'd been here a few times before - once very memorably before his relapse; he'd gone for drinks that ended in a rather spectacular bar fight and was only (kind of) saved by Nick, who had been working there that night. He had found out afterwards that Nick worked part time as a bartender, and was apparently very good friends with the manager and owner, Mo. Nick was practically co-owner, and had even helped with the name - which Harvey scoffed at and rolled his eyes but Mike was amused no end by it. So Nick and Mo had christened 'The Stagger Inn' - colloquially known to patrons and employees as 'The Stagger' - with a large party.

One time Nick had been babysitting him and had work as well, which led to Mike being introduced to Mo. The man had grudgingly allowed Mike to sit in the back room whilst his uncle worked, before being thoroughly charmed by him and giving him food from the kitchens and trying to keep him entertained whilst Nick was on shift.

So now, Mike stood on his tip toes and waved dramatically until the bartender spotted him.

"The hell? Kid what are you doing in here? Where are your parents?"

"'S Unca Nick working tonight?"

"Nick? You're... shit - Mike?" The small boy nodded enthusiastically. The bartender swiftly came round the bar and grabbed him by the armpits, yelling at someone to watch the bar as he went into the back room.

"Hiya, Mr. Mo," Mike grinned at his Uncle's boss/business partner.

The bartender stared at him for a second. "Why are you here?"

"I'm runnin' 'way from home," Mike told him, feeling happier now that he was with someone he knew.

"And you came to The Stagger?" Mo asked, confused.

"'S closer than Unca Nick's house. I thought he could take me back to his."

"He ain't working tonight, kid," Mo said gruffly, grabbing a clean dish cloth and rubbing at his hair that had come free of his hood, trying to dry it slightly. "Look, how about you tell me where your Dad lives so we can take you back home."

"No! I wanna go to Unca Nick's!" Mike persisted, grabbing Mo's arms. "Will you call him? I know his number!"

"So do I, kid," Mo replied, rolling his eyes. "You thirsty?" Mike nodded and was rewarded with a glass of lemonade. "Alright, I'll call that idiot uncle of yours," although the affectionate tone in his voice belied the words. "You just sit tight."

Mike nodded, rubbing his eyes. He wanted to go back to bed. He wanted to sleep next to Harvey, but obviously he couldn't do that. And he was still angry that he'd listened to Lauren and tried to make him sleep on his own.

He was angry that he constantly paid more attention to his new girlfriend and Alex than he did to his own son.

Uncle Nick wouldn't do that.

"Alright, kid - he's on his way down, he'll be here soon," Mo told him. "You want to tell me why you're wearing pyjamas, wellingtons and a wet jacket?"

"'S raining," Mike explained, drinking some of his lemonade.

"Yeah, I know that," Mo rolled his eyes. "Why did you decide to 'run away'?"

"'Cause Daddy doesn't like me anymore," Mike said, frowning. "He likes Lauren and Alex more than me, and he doesn't want me sleeping in his bed - he wants me to be a big kid, but when I try to act like Alex he tells me not to be silly," Mike looked up at Mo with watering eyes and a wobbly lip. "Can I stay with you instead?"

Mo laughed - something that didn't happen very often but Nick's nephew had a penchant for coming out with odd things and Mo had gotten kind of attached to him. "I thought you wanted to stay with your Uncle."

"He'll take me back to Daddy after making a fort and letting me eat sweets," Mike said. "_You'd_ let me have a big meal from the kitchen, wouldn't you?" Mike looked like he was drooling slightly, clearly remembering the time Nick had to take him to work and Mike was allowed to sit in the back and have a meal from the kitchens.

"I'm sure your Daddy wants you home safe and sound, kid," Mo told him.

"Nuh-uh," Mike shook his head, finishing his drink. "He'd rather have Alex as his son. I don't care," he pouted.

"Sure you don't, kid," Mo rolled his eyes.

After a few more minutes, the door opened and Nick came in, looking drenched and worried. "Mike, what are you thinking of?" He asked, going over and taking Mike's face in his hands. "Are you okay?"

Mike nodded. "Mr. Mo gave me a drink and dried my hair."

"You're soaked!" Nick said, feeling the pyjamas Mike was wearing. "C'mon, I have spare clothes at mine," he shook his own hair slightly, wetting the small boy some more as flecks of rain flew out of it. "Thanks, Mo - I owe you big time!"

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered. "You can owe me some more in a second," he reached into a drawer and pulled out a set of keys. "Take the truck - you probably drove down here on your bike, didn't you?" He rolled his eyes as Nick bit his lip. "Exactly - where'd you think you can put the kid when you're driving that, you idjit?" He sighed. "Give me your keys, I'll keep your bike round the back 'til you can come pick it up."

"You're the best, Mo," Nick gushed.

"Unca Nick, can we make a fort?" Mike asked, rubbing at his eyes.

"Maybe later, kiddo," Nick replied, taking his hand. "I'll work an extra shift whenever you want, Mo, thanks," he said sincerely.

"Don't worry about it," Mo waved his hand. "Just get that kid someplace warm. Don't forget to get yourself warm too," he cast a disparaging glance at Nick's dripping wet frame.

Nick grinned. "I won't, Mo - thanks."

"Thank you, Mr. Mo," Mike smiled at him cutely.

"You're welcome, Mike," Mo said, managing a smile in return.

* * *

><p>When they got back to Nick's, he quickly took Mike's boots off and stripped him of his clothes before practically swaddling him in a blanket. "Wait here," he said, letting Mike curl up on an armchair. "I'll go get you some clothes."<p>

Thankfully, the last time Mike had stayed round, he had left some clothes which Nick kept forgetting to take back to Harvey's. He quickly grabbed the pyjamas he had left and took them back to the kid. "Here - put these on, kiddo; I'm gonna change as well."

"Are you mad at me?" Mike asked in a quiet voice, holding the pyjamas.

"What? No, of course not!" Nick told him. "Why would you think I would be?"

"'Cause I ran away," Mike sniffled.

"I'm not mad," Nick insisted. "I promise. I got a bit scared when Mo called and told me, but I'm not mad."

"Promise?"

"Didn't I just say that?" Nick asked, tapping Mike's nose. "Get dressed, buddy - I'll be back in a minute."

Nick quickly changed back into his pyjamas that he had hurriedly switched for clothes after Mo had called him. He then checked his phone but didn't find any missed calls or texts from Harvey. He debated for a while whether to call him, but Mike needed sleep - he could confront Harvey in the morning. Instead, he sent a single text saying that Mike was fine and hoped Harvey wouldn't find it until the morning, when he would probably find out that Mike had left.

"Alright, kiddo - it's late, what say me and you hit the sack?" Nick suggested, walking back into his living room. Mike nodded and rubbed at his eyes, holding his arms out to be picked up. "Aren't you a little old for this?" Nick asked him, a smirk on his face as he acquiesced and picked the five year old up. He didn't _really_ think that Mike was too old for it - it was just the usual banter between the two, but he felt Mike stiffen his hold. "What's up, munchkin?"

"I didn't like the storm, so I went to Daddy's room to climb into his bed," Mike told him.

"Understandable," Nick nodded, having done exactly the same when he was younger.

"But Lauren said I shouldn't do it, 'cause I'm too big to do it, and that I should be like Alex," Mike continued, his lips wobbling.

Nick frowned. "Please try not to be. Slimy kid," he shuddered, which got a small laugh from Mike before he became sombre once more.

"So Daddy took me back to _my _bed - but I didn't want to sleep on my own," he was half crying, half babbling now. "And the storm was scary but Daddy doesn't like me anymore, he wants me to be like Alex so now I want to live with _you_!"

"Isn't that a bit extreme?" Nick asked, taking Mike to his (water)bed. "And I'm sure you'd have a lot more fun living with me, but I can't promise I'll remember when to feed you."

"Daddy uses my board," Mike explained as he cuddled into Nick's side. "And he writes a timetable of what we're going to do."

"He's very organised like that," Nick said in agreement, nodding.

"But he started using it for _Alex_!" Mike wailed. "He wrote down times that they were going to go to the batting cages! And I had to stay with _Lauren_!"

"Was she nice to you?" Nick asked - knowing she would have been but wanting to be reassured. He knew Mike was more than likely over-exaggerating about this, but he still wanted to make sure that he wasn't acting like this for a good reason.

Mike sniffed but nodded. "But I wanted Daddy!"

"He's just trying to make everyone feel involved," Nick shushed, him, rubbing his back and wishing he was asleep.

"But he's not involving _me_!" Mike cried. "I want him _back_! I don't want Alex or Lauren with us, I just want it to be him and me again!"

"It's okay, Mikey," Nick said softly, awkwardly trying to rock him as they lay next to each other.

"No it's _not_!" Mike cried. "I want my Daddy back!"

"Have you told him any of this?" Nick asked, wishing it was as easy as that - he knew Harvey liked Lauren, and just because Mike was getting jealous; he wouldn't just give her up.

Mike shook his head at Nick's question. "He'll get angry. He already doesn't like me anymore."

"Buddy, you know that's not true," Nick scolded lightly. "He loves you more than anything else in the world!"

Mike gave a sniff and looked up at him. "Weally?" He whispered, lisping the word because of how upset he was.

"Really," Nick said firmly. "We'll all talk loads about it in the morning, alright? Right now - you need to sleep."_  
><em>

* * *

><p>Only an hour after this and Nick opened his eyes blearily. Someone was knocking on his door, and his phone was going off as well.<p>

"Wuz goin' on, Unca Nick?" Mike asked blearily, peeping over the covers to watch as Nick stood up.

"Nothing much, munchkin - go back to sleep," he smiled at Mike, hesitantly leaving the room but grabbing his phone as well. He was at first nervous about opening the door but when he saw the amount of missed calls he had from Harvey, he relaxed and opened the door - now fairly confident about who was on the other side.

"Hey, Harv," he said, ruffling his own hair.

"Don't 'hey, Harv' me," Harvey growled, storming in. "Where the hell is Mike and why is he here?"

"Woah, easy," Nick held his hands up. "It's not like I've kidnapped him! I was responsible! Look, just go sit down and I'll bring the kid out, alright?" Harvey nodded slowly and went to sit on Nick's Cadillac themed couch. "Don't sit on the callicow," Nick warned him quickly, "it's got a wobbly leg. I'll fix it soon."

Harvey couldn't help but let his lips curve upwards slightly at the word they now associated with the couch, ever since three year old Mike tried and failed to call it the 'Cadillac couch'. He waited impatiently for Nick to bring Mike out from where he was presumably asleep.

Harvey ran his fingers through his hair. He had no idea what had happened. He and Lauren had nearly fallen back to sleep after being woken by Mike when Alex crashed into the room, running to Lauren and babbling for about ten minutes before they calmed him down enough for him to tell them that Mike had ran away. Harvey leapt out of bed - quickly checking Mike's room just in case Alex had been dreaming - before running out the door, topless, wearing only his pyjama pants and very barefoot.

He had sprinted to Donna's house - not managing to think clearly when his five year old was wandering the streets in the rain in the early hours of the morning. Under the misguided impression that _that _would be where Mike had ran to (he knew how to get there from their condo) he hammered on her door, only for her to gape at him when he asked her if Mike was there.

When she asked him if he'd called anyone else, he realised he didn't even have his phone or even _glanced _at it before he ran out. He hastily went back home, ignoring Donna's plea that he get a taxi and when he arrived back at the condo, Lauren was dressing, saying they would just go back to theirs, and for him to call if he had any news.

Bristling slightly at the fact that she was leaving him to deal with this on his own, Harvey had checked his phone, his heart soaring as he realised he had a text from Nick and that Mike was presumably with his brother. He had stopped to put a top and shoes on before hurrying back out, frantically trying to call him.

"Daddy?" A tired voice came from the doorway to Nick's bedroom, and Mike appeared, wearing old clothes he had left at Nick's one time, and was rubbing his eyes in exhaustion, holding onto Nick's hand for the few moments he walked into the room, before being swept into a hug.

"Mikey, are you okay?" He gasped, pulling Mike onto his lap and hugging him tightly, running his fingers through the blonde hair.

Mike nodded, sucking his thumb - which Harvey immediately pulled out of his mouth. "What're you doin' here?" He asked quietly, resting his head on Harvey's shoulder.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Harvey asked exasperatedly - although it was nothing compared to the relief he felt that Mike was _here _and _fine _and in his arms. "I came to get you - what were you thinking of, running away like that? You know how worried I was?"

Mike snuffled and clutched onto his top. "You don't want me at home anymore," Mike whispered.

"What?" Harvey looked over to Nick, who sombrely went into the kitchen to make some coffee to leave them alone for a few minutes. "Mike what are you talking about?"

"You like Alex a lot better than me," Mike said quietly, looking down at his hands. "He's a better son, and Lauren doesn't want you to like me either, and you listened to her," his voice picked up some volume slightly. "I just wanted to sleep in your bed! There was a storm and I didn't like it and she didn't let me and you _left _me alone in my room! So I left."

"Mike do you know how dangerous that was?" Harvey asked.

"Not really the most important topic right now, Harv?" Nick called from the kitchen.

"Shut up, Nicholas," Harvey growled, before realising his brother was right. "Buddy - you listen to me very carefully," he made Mike scoot back slightly on his lap so he could look him in the eyes. "If I ever get anyone new in my life - regardless of how I treat them or what I feel about them; _you're _always going to come first. Remember what I promised you when we talked about me getting girlfriends?" Mike nodded. "Mike you're the most important person in my life, you hear me? Yeah, I like Alex - he's a good kid - "

"Suck-up!" Nick tried to disguise his insult to the six year old boy as a cough, making Mike giggle slightly.

"Nick," Harvey said in warning, before turning back to Mike. "And I included him a lot because he doesn't have a dad that he gets to see. I thought you of all people would understand that," Mike gazed up at him with watery eyes.

"You're replacing me," Mike whispered, uncovering his biggest fear. "You don't want me anymore because Alex is a lot better than me and Lauren doesn't like me - "

"Lauren loves you," Harvey reassured him. "Is that what all the fuss over the past few months has been about? All the tantrums?"

Mike sniffed. "I thought if I was littler you'd want me more," he hiccuped. "Or if I was big, like Alex."

"Please don't ever be as big as Alex!" Nick shouted over.

"Nick!"

"What? I'm just pointing out that the kid could stand to lose a few pounds!"

"Shut up," Harvey growled, turning back once more to Mike. "Whatever age you are, however you act - I'll still want you more than I can say," Harvey told him, saying it quietly because regardless of how much he'd grown in regards of showing affection, he still only liked Mike to hear it. "I'd prefer it if you acted the age you _are_," he said, raising an eyebrow, making Mike give a weak giggle.

"I thought you were gonna forget about me and spend all your time with them," Mike sniffed. "You've been doing loads of things with Alex and nothing with me."

This time, Nick actually coughed delicately before speaking. "That's right, Harv," he said quietly. "Sorry, man - but I could give you a dozen examples of when you left Mike with me or Donna to go do something with Alex."

Harvey looked down at Mike, his face horrified. If it was something serious enough for _Nick _to become serious about it, then it must be bad. "I... I didn't even realise," he bracketed Mike's face with his palms and gently stroked his cheeks with his thumbs. "Mike I'm so sorry," he said quietly. "I... You never said anything so I just assumed..."

"You know what they say about assuming," Mike told him shakily, just happy that Harvey finally knew what had made him so upset.

Harvey laughed. "They say bad things about assuming, I know," he cupped the back of Mike's head with one of his hands and kissed his forehead. "God, Mike - I'm so sorry... I promised you - remember? I promised I'd always be there for you and now..."

Mike clutched onto him, remembering the card Harvey had given him for his fourth birthday. He had promised that no matter what happened, Harvey would always be there.

"You were," Mike said, throwing his arms around Harvey's neck, not being able to stand seeing him upset. "You were there."

"No I wasn't," Harvey shook his head. "But I'll never break that promise again, buddy - starting right now. This weekend, it's just going to be me and you, doing whatever you want," he promised.

"What about Lauren and Alex?" Mike asked, rubbing at his runny nose.

"I really like Lauren," Harvey told him quietly. "If anything she does hurts you then she's gone but... I can't just give her up that easily. And Alex... I'll let you in on a little secret," he whispered into Mike's ear, "the kid's nothing compared to you. If I got to choose between having him as my son or you - you'd win every time, kiddo."

Mike tried to shuffle closer to Harvey - not yet seeing it wasn't quite possible. "Missed you, Daddy," he whispered.

"I missed you too, Mikey," Harvey replied. "Don't worry, it's all going to change, I promise."

"Oh my god is it all over yet?" Nick asked dramatically, throwing himself down onto the rug in front of the other two. "Stop being so chick-flicky and girly and get over it! You're both sorry, no more confessions of love, alright?"

Harvey rolled his eyes but continued to rub Mike's back as the kid rested his head on his shoulder. "Sorry, am I disturbing your beauty sleep?"

"Yes," Nick pouted. "I had to get out of my very comfortable bed and rescue your kid from Mo!"

"Mo?" Harvey frowned, trying to place the name. "Your boss?"

"Co-owner," Nick said adamantly. "And yeah - Mike went to The Stagger thinking I was working. He charmed Mo into calling me down. I think one of these days you're going to have a fight over custody with him," Nick smirked.

"You went to a bar?" Harvey said, prising Mike away from his shoulder. He was intending on not-quite-shouting (he still needed to punish the kid for running away) but found that Mike had already fallen asleep against him. Tutting, Harvey decided he would just have to wait and stood up.

"Harvey, you probably ran here, how are you planning on taking the kid back?" Nick asked, smirking when Harvey realised he was right (he also decided not to mention he had been planning on taking Mike back to his on his bike). "Stay the night," Nick went on to say. "It's late, we're all tired. You can't really sleep on the callicow but I guess you can have my bed."

"Nicky, it's your bed, we can't - "

Nick shrugged. "I've slept one worse things than my own floor. Trust me, I'll be fine." He got up to lock his door and turn some lights off. "Anything you need to do before you're left to your own devices?" He asked, an eyebrow raised.

"I need to call Donna," Harvey said, suddenly realising. "She'll be going mad. And Lauren."

"Is she still at yours?"

"No, she left and told me to keep her updated," Harvey replied, and Nick could see the bitterness his brother felt about that. He knew that Harvey liked the woman, but also knew that - she could like Mike all she wanted - if she didn't really care about the kid's well-being, she wouldn't last that long in his life.

"Alright, I'll call Donna for you, you go to bed," Nick told him, grabbing his phone.

"I owe you, little brother," Harvey said, carefully standing up and walking with Mike to Nick's bedroom.

"Yeah, yeah," Nick waved him away. "Add it to the list."

Harvey grinned and closed the bedroom door, carefully lowering Mike onto the 'mattress' (and he needed to talk to Nick about buying a proper bed) before sliding in beside him. He breathed out. He had almost forgotten what it was like, to have Mike cuddled close for not other reason than to be close to him - not because Mike craved attention, not because he wanted to make another kid jealous - just because he wanted to be close to him.

Harvey vowed to never let Mike feel that way again. He knew how much Mike battled with his self-confidence on a daily basis, and shivered at the thought of what he went through, thinking that Harvey no longer cared for him.

He pressed a small kiss to Mike's hair and let his eyes drift closed, realising that for the first time in weeks, he felt completely relaxed as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>AN So... this may be my least favourite chapter. I'm not sure why, but it fought me so hard it's unbelievable. In all honesty I kind of think it's quite shoddy, but please tell me what you think :) I really hope you liked it, regardless of my feelings towards it :)**

**And this was never originally going to be THIS chapter - I was writing another one that I was going to publish first but this one insisted it be written. Which is why there isn't much on Mo - he's going to be explored further in the next chapter (about the babysitting) :)**

**Oh, and I was also very torn regarding the age of Alex. I thought there would be more angst if he was suddenly given a younger sibling because then Harvey would be spending more time looking after it - but then I thought Mike could act out MORE if Alex was older. So either striving to be seen as older so he got the same amount of attention, or acting younger to get more attention. And I'm very tired and not making much sense so please just ignore me :')**


	22. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

**A/N You guys I am so tremendously sorry about the huge wait - Uni has swamped me beyond belief and I got a job so I've had very little time to just sit down and WRITE. I really hope you all understand, so I'm giving you some lovely long Christmas fluff :)**

**Mike's Age: 3**

* * *

><p>Harvey was exhausted. He was incredibly happy and had that same, excited fluttering feeling in his stomach he always got when he won at court… but he was exhausted. They had just finished a very huge case that he had put hundreds of hours work into. Now all he wanted to do was create a Harvey-shaped dent in his couch and just never get back up.<p>

"Harvey?"

The hushed voice didn't make him groan but he felt his stomach sink slightly. He blearily opened his eyes and tilted his head in the direction of the voice.

"Mike," he said in an equally soft voice. "Why aren't you asleep?"

The toddler rubbed at his eyes but dropped his gaze to the floor. "I thought you… I thought…" he started making a pattern on the floor with his foot before shaking his head. "It doesn't matter. I'll go to bed. Good night."

"Woah, wait a second," Harvey managed to pull himself upright and made a gentle grab for the kid's waist, pulling him closer. "What's up? Why aren't you in bed?"

"You haven't put me to bed yet," Mike confessed, blushing slightly. "I was waiting – you said you'd read The Lorax to me and I got it out but then you were taking _ages_ so I was going to just go to sleep but… you hadn't tucked me in, and I thought… it doesn't matter," Mike quickly shook his head, trying to wriggle out of Harvey's grasp.

Harvey held on firmly, however, and pulled Mike onto his lap. "I'm sorry, kiddo," he said, standing up and balancing Mike on his hip. "I'm just tired. C'mon; I'll read you two books to make up for it," he gave Mike a small smile and was glad to receive a beam in response. He felt awful for making the toddler wait before going to bed when he was probably even more tired than Harvey himself. There had been a few instances so far where Mike hadn't been able to get to sleep until Harvey had actually gone through their usual bedtime routine – which surprisingly worked incredibly well and Harvey suspected it was one of Mike's favourite times of the day.

He rubbed at Mike's back as they walked into his bedroom, trying to warm the cold little body up. "We're going to have to get you thicker pyjamas," Harvey told him. "It's getting really cold."

"'Cause it's December," Mike reminded him. Before giving a gasp and squirming until he was finally placed on his bed. "It's nearly Christmas!" He exclaimed, as if Harvey weren't already aware of it. He was in fact very much aware of it. He had been worried about Christmas ever since he'd had to adopt Mike. What if it didn't go well and Mike would wish he'd never started to live with Harvey? What if Harvey couldn't muster up any Christmas spirit? He'd never really enjoyed it since he was about 15.

"What kind of tree are we getting? Can I help decorate it? What do you want for presents? What do you think Donna wants? I don't know what I want yet, can I make a Christmas list? Ooh, can I have a puppy? Can I – " He was suddenly silence when Harvey put his hand over his mouth.

"Breathe," he reminded him. "And calm down – you were tired a minute ago and I'd really like that mood to stay." Harvey picked up the book that Mike had picked out and sat on the bed, not surprised when Mike hopped up from where he had just been tucked in and scampered over to Harvey's side, snuggling into it and making sure he could see the pictures.

All of the time that Harvey was reading, he was only thinking about Christmas. Now that Mike sounded so excited, he had so many expectations of Christmas with Harvey. The older man couldn't screw it up.

* * *

><p>He decided to first and foremost ask Donna for advice.<p>

"Donna," he said slowly, waiting for her to take a sip of the coffee he had brought her before continuing, "Mike's expecting an amazing Christmas," he told her, watching her carefully to study her reaction. All she did was nod in agreement and glance up at him.

"I've inexplicably become obsessed with Teen Wolf," she told him. "Oh," she added at his confused face, "I'm sorry – I thought we were stating the obvious."

"The obvious?" Harvey asked, not even bothering to ask about the Teen Wolf thing. "What do you mean?"

"You're Harvey," she said to him slowly. "And he's Mike. You really think he expects you to just buy a pre-decorated tree, give him a few presents and maybe watch a Christmas movie?" She sighed at his 'well, yeah,' face. "Harvey; Mike is an incredibly sweet guy – kid," she corrected herself. "He's going to be grateful and loving regardless of what you do – and I don't think he knows it yet, but I'm pretty sure that he's expecting you to go all out for your first Christmas. I don't mean that he wants you to buy him lots of presents – I mean he expects that you're going to put in 110% effort and thought for it."

"But what does that even _mean_?" Harvey asked exasperatedly.

Donna stood up and walked into his office, going on his laptop and opening his netflix (he wasn't even surprised that she knew his account). "It _means_," she stressed, adding a stack of movies to his watch list, "that you are going to study every one of these cheesy, old, adorable Christmas movies and understand what Christmas actually means to kids."

"Donna, believe it or not I liked Christmas when I was young," Harvey rolled his eyes at her. "And I sure as hell don't need to study it and try to replicate what happens in each and every Christmas cliché. I thought you'd want it all to come from the heart?"

Donna beamed at him. "I think you're getting it, Specter. Just try not to oversell it. And make sure you know well in advance what he wants for presents. Oh, and if he's still asking for a puppy, tell him that Santa doesn't bring animals."

Harvey gave her a look. "Really? You want me to tell Mike he can't have a certain present because Santa won't bring it?"

"You'd be surprised what he'll believe now," she told him. "Just the other day, I heard him telling Norma that if she put her dentures underneath her pillow, the tooth fairy would pay her at _least _$3," she grinned, trying to fight off the 'aw, that was so adorable,' expression on her face.

"You think I should take him to the mall?" Harvey asked, looking serious and slightly worried. "Ask him if he wants to see Santa?"

Donna pursed her lips. "Maybe closer to the time. He'll probably be embarrassed to tell you but you know him," she reminded him. "You'll be able to tell what he wants to do, even if he doesn't tell you."

Harvey scowled and threw himself back into his chair. "That's the worst advice I've ever heard," he grumbled. "I know exactly what he wants. Kid wants lots of decorations, a nice present to give to _you _and a puppy. And I know he's definitely not getting one of them."

"Well then you just have to figure out what _else _he wants," she said mystically, before leaving the room, causing him to stay staring at his wall, stumped. What the hell did Mike _want_?

He knew the kid adored Christmas. That much was obvious when the first Christmas song of that year they had heard came on the radio and Mike had gasped in delight, bouncing in his seat and begging Harvey to turn it up. And now all the shops and streets had Christmas lights on, Harvey couldn't ignore Mike's beam and the light in his eyes as he stared up at them.

He had to admit, he was looking forward to decorating his condo with Mike. The first year in ages he was actually doing something and - not that he would admit it to anyone yet - he couldn't think of anyone else he'd rather decorate it with.

He just had to survive actually shopping and buying all the decorations.

* * *

><p>It wasn't the nightmare he had assumed it would be, but it was far from easy. Harvey had (much to Mike's chagrin and had warranted Mike refusing to speak to him for all of ten minutes) insisted that; due to the crowds and how long they'd be out, Mike had to wear a pull-up. The kid was grinding his teeth whenever he was reminded of the 'evil underwear of doom' (as he referred to them) when he walked and refused to hold Harvey's hand, telling him that he was already being forced to act babyishly, so he wouldn't stoop lower.<p>

This just caused Harvey to roll his eyes and pick the kid up, holding him on one hip as he manoeuvred around people, trying to find a shop that wouldn't play cheesy music or have a large, animatronic Santa waving at them as they entered.

He finally chanced upon a store that seemed to fit his criteria of wanting tasteful decorations, and that didn't have screaming kids running around inside. However, he didn't realise that _his _kid would do his damn hardest to replicate that behaviour, and soon found himself being pulled all around the store.

"Mike, slow down - they aren't going anyway."

"But I want to put decorations up _now_!" Mike whined slightly. "It's already the 10th of December! You've wasted 9 days already! How do you not already have decorations?"

Harvey shrugged. "I don't really _do_ Christmas."

"_I _do."

"Why else do you think I've been forced to bring you here?" Harvey asked him, rolling his eyes. "What colour tinsel do you want?"

"_Every _colour," Mike decreed, pulling at Harvey's hand towards the brightly coloured aisle. The man raised an eyebrow as he looked around the different shades that Mike was picking out.

"None of this goes together."

"It's not _supposed _to go together!" Mike informed him. "It's supposed to be messy, and over the top, and mismatched - it's supposed to be homely!"

Harvey sighed but then saw Mike wilt slightly in response. He added different strands of garlands to his basket before throwing in a few different coloured baubles. Mike wanted it to be homely - Harvey desperately wanted Mike to see the condo as home. If creating a completely mismatched, bomb site of a flat could help him achieve that, then he may as well give it a go, right?

"Grammy has a box of decorations we used to use," Mike informed him quietly. "Can we use them?"

And dammit if that didn't hit Harvey straight in the solar plexus. "Sure we can, kiddo," he replied softly, reaching down to hitch Mike onto his hip with one arm as he held their shopping basket in the other hand. This was partly to reassure him and also partly because they were nearing checkout and there was suddenly an alarming number of people in the shop.

He liked to think they were all drawn to his glorious presence.

After seeing him some of them turned and walked out.

He liked to think it was because he had a kid with him, and not because he had a glare on his face when he realised he'd have to push through people (and crowds still made Mike slightly nervous and Harvey didn't want to deal with having to very quickly find a toilet when he was nearly to the front of the line).

Thankfully, everything was fine and they finally emerged from the shop. Harvey stared around for a few seconds as he gained back his bearings and realised Mike was struggling against his side.

"Har-_vee_, I wanna walk!"

"Kid, I let you loose in here I doubt I'll see you again until you're 15."

"I promise I'll stay right by you! The whole time!" Mike wheedled, his eye line constantly drifting towards something in one of the food courts Harvey couldn't quite make out. He quickly weighed up his opinions before deciding it was easier not to fight and let Mike stand next to him instead. To his surprise, the kid clutched onto _him_ first, instead of Harvey making the first move and grabbing Mike's hand - he soon realised this was simply because he wanted to pull Harvey towards something as quickly as possible.

"Mike, where are we going?" Harvey asked, occasionally pulling Mike's arm to lead him out of the way of much taller shoppers.

"Nowhere, I just want..." he fell silent and stopped, soon trying to draw back and stand behind Harvey. The man looked down, confused, before looking up and seeing what Mike had been wanting to go towards.

There was a large Santa Grotto in the middle of the court and there was a small line of kids all excitedly waiting for their turn to see Santa. A grumpy looking teenage elf was standing by the entrance, gloomily holding a bucket for donations from parents. Mike was staring transfixed at the fairy lights around the gingerbread-esque house but Harvey could tell he was looking from beneath his eyelashes, shyly hiding behind Harvey's leg and occasionally burying his face in it in case Harvey thought that he would want to see Santa.

Even though he really did.

"Mike?" Harvey said gently, slowly pulling the small boy from behind him. Mike looked down at his feet, unwilling to look Harvey in the eye. Harvey sighed. "Mike I can't do anything if you don't tell me what you want."

He knew - of course he knew; but he didn't want to bring it up any more than Mike did. Because whilst Mike had a fear that Harvey would laugh at him or be upset he was becoming more childish, Harvey had a fear that he would suggest seeing Santa and Mike would scorn him, declaring he couldn't think of anything else he'd hate more than to see Santa.

"Nothing," Mike mumbled, hearing Harvey sigh again and feeling a shadow of self-doubt curl up in his stomach. He wanted to go see Santa; he wanted to send him a letter, he wanted to leave out food for him in case he was hungry when he dropped the presents off. Harvey took his hand again and Mike refused to look up at him, not wanting to see either amusement or disappointment on his face.

When they got back to the condo, Mike's mood quickly returned to it's normal state of cheerfulness. With the pull-up gone and the Christmas tree set up in a corner, he was soon bouncing off the walls with excitement. They'd collected the decorations from Grammy (along with a threatening message to take lots of pictures for her) and Mike waited impatiently for Harvey to unravel some of the lights for the tree.

"Har-_vee_, come _on_!" He whined, stamping his foot slightly.

"Hey, you keep up with that and you can watch me decorate the tree from the corner," Harvey told him, nodding over to what Harvey had deemed their 'time-out corner'. Mike frowned but stopped whining, instead slowly going over to where Harvey was sitting, unravelling lights. He got to Harvey's knee and rested on it, watching the lights, before Harvey just pulled him onto his lap and placed the garlands of lights over Mike's knees as well. "You might as well help out, kid," Harvey said, taking Mike's small hands in his own and moving them to help get rid of any knots.

After they had finished, Harvey leant over to flick a switch and they sprang to life. He looked down the line, carefully checking that they were all working before letting Mike slide off his knee and wrapping the lights around the tree, making sure he'd covered a fair amount of the branches before looking back to Mike.

"What do you think?" Mike beamed and nodded wildly, before diving into the bag of tinsel. He soon came out, clutching a bunch of red in one hand and gold in the other. He held them out to Harvey, but was surprised when the man just pushed them back at him. "You're the one who wants to do it, kid."

Grinning, Mike found himself being picked up under his armpits and held up so that he could wrap the tinsel around the tree. He giggled the next two trips to the bag to get more colours as Harvey still picked him up to decorate the tree, even when it was easily in his reach. When they finished, they only had one strand of tinsel left, and so Mike strung it around Harvey's neck, ecstatic when the man didn't take it off.

As the afternoon wore on, Mike realised that Harvey was actually enjoying himself. Very soon the entirety of the condo was decorated - apart from Mike's room, and Harvey had reasoned it by saying that he didn't want Mike to 'become an idiot and choke on anything'.

Because of the excitement, Mike had been bouncing around Harvey whenever he put a new decoration up, and had lisped his words a few times.

"I think that's everything," Harvey said, glancing around the room.

"The star, Daddy, the star!" Mike pulled at his leg before freezing and flushing a bright red, his hands going towards his mouth. "Sorry, sorry, sorry - I didn't mean to say that... shit," he muttered, only to get a tap on his head.

"Hey - language," Harvey told him firmly, before kneeling down to they were face to face. "Listen to me, Mike - in the eyes of the law, I'm your father now. You want to acknowledge it's what you feel as well, then do it."

"Do you?" Mike whispered.

"What?"

"Do you feel it as well?"

Harvey smiled at him and picked him up, bouncing him on his hip. "I'll admit that I'm getting used to introducing you as my son," he said, plucking the star for the top of the tree from where it had been abandoned on the couch. "Here, kiddo - you can put it up there." He reached up so that Mike could touch the top of the tree with ease and watched as the little boy carefully placed the star at the top.

Mike beamed as he placed it before finding himself being slowly taken down, still resting in Harvey's arms. He laid his cheek on Harvey's shoulder and felt the man rock slightly. He had missed nap time but through the excitement of decorating he hadn't even noticed. It was catching up with him and he felt his eyes grow heavy as he stared at the twinkling tree.

"Nap time," Harvey murmured, carefully carrying Mike to the couch and covering him in a blanket.

"Night, Daddy," Mike mumbled, barely aware of what he was doing.

"Night, Mikey."

* * *

><p>After accidentally calling Harvey 'Daddy' a few times, Mike had grown used to the idea, and he was pretty sure Harvey had too. It made him feel like maybe Harvey wouldn't mind if he acted a bit more childishly - the man had casually mentioned that he still had no idea what Mike wanted for Christmas, and maybe he should write a list.<p>

Mike couldn't really think of what he wanted; all he knew was that he wanted to let Santa know. He knew it was ridiculous - knew that Santa wasn't real.

But...

Part of him _knew _he was.

He had deliberated for a while before finally deciding to swallow his pride and write a letter. He was sitting in Harvey's office, doodling on pieces of paper, before finally asking Harvey for a nice sheet of paper and some different pens. He ignored Harvey's questioning look and waited until the man was back at his desk doing his own work that he started to write.

Mike chewed on his pen lid in thought, staring down at the blank piece of paper in front of him. What could he write? He felt stupid for even considering writing anything, but something about it just felt _right _– even the thought of writing and thinking that it would be delivered sent a spike of excitement down his spine.

He started to write the first line, but soon scribbled it out – his handwriting wasn't very good anymore; and sometimes he got confused where some letters went in certain words. And it looks boring as well – all black and white. Letters like this deserved colour.

He slid off the couch and took a new sheet of paper with him, walking out as Harvey stood talking on the phone at Donna's desk, as the woman herself was sitting looking up at him with an almost concerned look on her face. Neither of them noticed him leaving, and so he took this opportunity to go to Rachel's office, glad when she was in.

"Mike!" She said in surprise, but still looking happy that he had come to see her. "What are you doing here?"

"I need some help," he confessed, climbing onto a chair and peering over her desk at her. "I'm trying to write a letter, but I feel stupid doing it."

"Okay…" she gave him a small smile. "What's stupid about it?"

"It needs to be a really good letter," he told her. "And I really want to send it. But at the same time… I know I can't."

"Why not?" She asked softly, wondering if he was maybe writing letters for his parents – he had once mentioned to her that he sometimes did that.

"Because… it's going to sound really weird, and you have to promise not to laugh, okay?" She nodded and crossed her heart. "Alright. So… I want to send a letter to Santa," he said quietly, looking down at his lap. "But… I don't really know what to say, because if I sound really greedy and ungrateful I won't get anything, but I don't want to sound too much like a pussy, y'know?"

Rachel's lips twitched slightly at his words; more at his reasoning than anything, but managed to stay calm. "Okay," she said slowly. "So you came here to try and get me to… what? Write it for you?"

"No!" Mike quickly defended himself. "But… a few tips would be nice, is all. And…" he sighed. "I know he's not real but… but I can't stop myself from thinking that he _is_, so this is really just covering myself on all bases because I know there'll be some things that Harvey won't want me to have – but if I ask _Santa_, then maybe he'll bring me them."

He looked excited but ashamed at the same time, and Rachel didn't know what to do. She remembered having to break the news to one of her younger brothers that Santa wasn't real, and she didn't want to do it to Mike so soon; especially as he was already on the fence anyway and trying to hide his hope and enthusiasm. She felt like she should be concerned about him – he had only been a toddler and had only been living with Harvey for maybe a month, and he was already thinking that Santa was real.

She then found herself questioning what was wrong with that.

Hell, she'd help as much as possible.

"Alright," she said, leaning forward slightly to show that she meant business. "Here's what we'll do – you try and write it yourself, but if you're unsure about anything then feel free to ask me. I need to do some research but don't hesitate to ask, alright? And between you and me," she leant forward even more, lowering her voice, "Santa loves it when kids spell things wrong."

"He does?" Mike tilted his head; his child brain reasoning that because Rachel referred to Santa as being real, than that _must _mean he's real, because she's a _grown-up _and as such knows _everything_.

She nodded. "He thinks it's adorable."

"Oh," Mike looked down at his paper again. "Okay." With that he put his head down and started to write slowly; still taking his time so his writing was legible, but at the same time not worrying too much about his spelling. Santa would be able to read it – he'd gotten billions of letters before.

After nearly 10 minutes he sighed and put his pen down. "This is stupid," he muttered. "Santa's not real." It wasn't that he actually thought that – it was that he knew he was _supposed _to think that; he had only been an official child for maybe a month. He was still very much adult most of the time. He knew that he had to act like it.

Rachel, however, sighed. "Mike – let me ask you something; are you and Harvey going to put milk and cookies out?"

Mike shrugged. "Probably."

"And when you did that before when you were little; what happened?"

Mike thought back. "They were gone," he told her. "I got up and they'd been eaten."

Rachel smiled at him. "And who would have eaten them?"

"Santa?" He ventured, his eyes widening slightly in hope.

"Exactly," Rachel nodded. "Mike; you believe exactly whatever you want to. Have fun before life gets too serious. And ask Santa for something really good because he almost always comes through when it comes to presents."

Mike beamed at her and got off his chair, rushing around the desk to give her a hug around her legs. "Thank you, Rachel!" He said earnestly. "I mean it."

"It's fine," she patted him only slightly awkwardly on the head. "I'll get you an envelope and you can go mail it to Santa, alright?" Mike nodded and bounced up and down excitedly as he waited for Rachel to get the envelope. When she passed it to him he stuck his now finished letter inside and turned it over, before frowning.

"What's the address?" Mike asked.

"I don't know," she replied. "Harvey might. Donna definitely will. You should go back and see if one of them knows."

"Okay," Mike nodded resolutely. "Bye, Rachel – I'll see you later!" With that he quickly scampered out of her office and hurried back to Harvey's, hoping that in the time he'd been gone, the man hadn't organised a search party.

"There you are!" Donna sighed as he got closer. "We wondered where you'd gone. Toilet?" Mike quickly shook his head, blushing. He knew that Donna was only too aware (thanks to Harvey) that his bladder was very small now – and as a result he went to the bathroom a lot. Harvey had a theory that it was because he couldn't always _tell _when he needed to go, and as such just went numerous times to make sure that he didn't have an accident. Donna seemed to be creepily in love with this theory, and Mike was just awaiting the day he had one accident too many (he'd now had three, not counting night time) and Donna very happily and crazily-maternally put him in diapers.

"No," he said grouchily, before quickly cheering once more. "I was at Rachel's office!"

"Oh?" She asked, picking him up and bouncing him on her hip. "And what were you getting up to?"

"She helped me write my letter!" He told her, waving the envelope which still had yet to have an address. He didn't feel as embarrassed telling her as he thought he would. Maybe because Rachel had been fine with it; she'd even told him to ask Donna or Harvey the address.

"And what letter's that, sweetie?" Donna asked as she walked into Harvey's office, still bouncing Mike.

"Mike, there you are – where did you go? Bathroom?" Harvey interrupted before Mike had a chance to explain his letter.

"Why does everyone keep assuming that?" Mike asked, finding himself being placed on the floor. "No, I didn't go to the bathroom."

To his horror, he saw Harvey checking his watch. "You haven't been in a while, kid," he said seriously, going to take his hand. "You should go now – just in case."

"I don't need to!" Mike protested, yanking his hand away. "I'll tell you when I do, alright?"

"You better," Harvey pointed a warning finger at his face. "Because remember what I told you – one more ruined carpet or couch and it'll be pull-ups 24-7." Mike blushed a deep red and hugged the envelope to him, looking down at the carpet. He heard a sigh and found Harvey crouched in front of him, gently lifting his chin with his index finger. "Alright, kiddo – so where did you go? And what's this?" He softly tugged at the edge of the letter that Mike clutched to his chest.

"I went to see Rachel," he explained. "You were busy."

"Mike, you know you have to tell me if you leave the office," Harvey told him sternly. "I was right outside."

"Sorry," Mike mumbled, before smiling. "But will you help me with something?"

"I'll do my best," Harvey replied, not being able to help his smile as Mike tugged at him in excitement before turning around the envelope to display the blank front.

"What are the co-ordinates for the North Pole?" He asked, blinking up earnestly.

"I… I can't say I've ever needed to know," Harvey told him, glancing up at Donna who seemed to be grinning in delight at having guessed something he himself had yet to figure out. "Why?"

"Well I want it to be _really _specific, just so it gets sent out properly," Mike told him, pulling the pen he had stored in his pocket out with a flourish and went to the coffee table, writing slowly on the front.

"So you want me to look up the co-ordinates for the North Pole," Harvey checked, making sure he'd actually heard that correctly.

"Uh-huh," he nodded, chewing on the top of the pen. "Or if it's easier, just Santa's address."

"You…" Harvey glanced over at Donna, who was beaming scarily. "You want to know where Santa lives?"

"Well I want to make sure it gets there," Mike told him. "Or do you think if I just put his name and the North Pole it'll find him?"

Harvey really wished Donna wasn't in the room so he could let the gooey, loving feeling he had, let itself be known so that he could sweep Mike into a hug and coo at him. Instead, he sat on the couch and watched Mike. "You want to send a letter to Santa?"

"Yeah – why, is it stupid? It's stupid isn't it; you don't think he's real. I knew this was stupid, he couldn't – "

"Mike, slow down," Harvey told him, pulling him over. "Calm down. It's not stupid. I think it's a great idea."

"You do?"

"Of course I do. In fact, we could even go to the Mall at some point before Christmas so you can see him; you know, just to make sure he got your letter." Harvey's heart was hammering in his chest; he didn't know if Mike would actually want to do that or not. He wasn't an idiot – he'd be able to tell it was some guy dressed up, surely?

"Uh…" Mike bit his lip. Even though he had just admitted to really thinking that Santa exists, and that he wanted to write him a letter; seeing him in person was different. He didn't want Harvey to think he was a baby. He probably already did because of the nervous accidents Mike had – and he was pretty sure they were due to nerves because it was nearly always in social situations he had them. When Harvey had half of the senior partners come to visit and Mike was terrified of going out to mingle with them and had instead hidden in his room, not realising he needed to pee before it was too late. Another time he had been holding Harvey's hand, waiting to use a public bathroom – there was a long line that day – and two guys started having a fight close to them. Harvey quickly took him away, but that too had started him off. He was worrying that the relapse was playing havoc on his body; when this had all first happened, he hadn't had a single accident (apart from at night) and now it seemed like he had to be constantly on guard.

So now Mike wasn't sure if he was ready for Harvey to see even more babyish behaviour from him. "I'll think about it," he mumbled, not ready to completely abolish the idea of going to see Santa. He _really _wanted to go see him but at the same time, he was worried about what Harvey would say.

"That's fine," Harvey told him, ruffling his hair. "Donna, will you look up Santa's address please?"

She seemed to have already done that while they had been talking and issued Harvey with a post-it which had an 'address' written on it. "You want me to read it out loud, kiddo?" Harvey asked him, knowing that – whilst Mike could still read – he sometimes got frustrated quickly if he couldn't completely read the writing. Donna's writing was more than legible and yet Harvey was wary of letting Mike try. Thankfully, the kid just nodded, and Harvey read out the address and waited patiently (a virtue he'd had to practice frequently now he had Mike) as the kid wrote it all down. He watched him lick the envelope and close it, before Mike watched with a beam as Donna put a stamp on it.

He quickly took it back and hugged it. "Thank you, guys," he babbled, positively sprinting towards the door. "I'm gonna go show Rachel!"

When he was gone Harvey let the wide grin show on his face as Donna almost squealed. "Isn't he adorable? God I've never known anyone so adorable!"

Harvey huffed out a laugh. "He's alright," he joked. "What's this address?" He asked her, looking at the post-it.

"I googled it," she shrugged. "My sister used this for her kids. It's like a Christmas village in the North Pole that usually reply to these letters."

Harvey imagined Mike jumping on him early in the morning, loud, bouncy and hyperactive, babbling about the letter he just got from Santa.

He didn't think he'd ever smiled so widely.

* * *

><p>Harvey strolled out of his bedroom that morning to find Mike kneeling on the floor, reading a large law textbook that was lying open in front of him. This wasn't uncommon - it was now just standard for Harvey to find Mike had woken up at least 4 hours before him and started doing his own thing. Usually it culminated in Mike crawling into his bed - if only to wake him up.<p>

Harvey noticed that morning that Mike still had his pull-up on. It was only because of how he was kneeling - he was resting on his elbows and had his butt in the air so Harvey could see the outline of it. Usually Mike couldn't wait to get rid of the thing.

"Mike," he said softly; in case the kid got embarrassed or angry, coming down to a kneel beside him.

"Hey, Harvey," Mike said absent mindedly as he leafed through the book. "Is it breakfast time yet?"

Harvey smiled despite himself. "I'll get food in a second - I just wondered why you were still wearing your pull-up." He saw Mike freeze halfway through turning the pages, before he sniffed and turned bright red, closing the book nonchalantly.

"I just forgot, is all."

Harvey could see through the lie in an instant, but this was the one thing he didn't want to push. "Well go take it off and get dressed - no food until you do it." With that he walked into the kitchen, hoping his display of solidarity and treating him like an adult by leaving him to his own decisions would be enough to either convince Mike to go back to talk to him, or to help the kid just forget about it.

Apparently, after a few moments of Mike standing there biting his lip, it seemed he'd chosen the first option and slowly crept over to Harvey, pulling on his pyjama pants. "Harvey," he said quietly. "I didn't forget."

"I guessed as much, kid," Harvey replied.

"They were... I..." Mike was so red Harvey was worried he was close to passing out. "I woke up and forgot at first, but then I realised I needed the toilet and remembered but I couldn't get them off in time and I had to use them again and now I'm worried in case I have another accident and ruin something and you'll put me in diapers and I'm not a baby so I really don't want them, and I don't want the pull-ups either, but my stupid body is giving me no choice, and - "

"Mike, slow down," Harvey ordered, forgetting about finding food and pulling Mike onto his hip, noticing the slight increase in weight and the added warmth on his hip. Trying not to shudder in distaste - he wasn't the one who had to wear it, after all - Harvey slowly walked into the bathroom and started to run a bath.

"I don't need a bath," Mike whined. It was very half-hearted and probably only because he was so used to rejecting them.

"If you've had this on since last night then yes you do," Harvey told him sternly, putting him on the floor. "And you need to calm down," he instructed, rolling his eyes as he was made to turn away from Mike as the kid took off the pull-up and his pyjamas until he had gotten into the bath (now using the step stool Harvey had gotten for the toilet).

"I'm calm now," Mike replied softly, looking down at the water and frowning.

"Not just now," Harvey said. "You're nervous," he established. "We're a month or so into this and you're still worried something will go wrong and I'll kick you out or give you up. And you're still nervous about _being _a kid; which is understandable," he assured Mike. "The crowds that are now bigger than you, the bladder that's now too small for you... it'll just take a bit of getting used to."

"But it's stupid," Mike pouted.

"I know," Harvey said - in what he wouldn't admit but was very much a 'coo'. "I know it is. But you have to just put up with it because we're already doing everything we can. I get that you need the toilet early in the morning and that the pull-ups are sometimes hard to take off - but you could have come to me for help."

"I don't want to bother you," Mike mumbled, pushing a rubber duck around the tub. "You were asleep."

"I'd still get up to help you," Harvey promised him. "And that's another thing - even if you don't want to wake me up, I still expect you to change out of it. You _know _you won't have any accidents during the day. You just need to remember to go."

"I get really into what I'm doing," Mike shrugged. "I can't help it if I zone out."

Harvey raised an eyebrow. "Which is why we have the hour rule," he said, referring to their new rule of Harvey reminding him to use the toilet every hour. "Seriously, kid - next time just take it off. You'll be fine. I might need to get you some sort of cream, sitting in that thing for so long might have given you a rash or something."

Mike blushed even more and refused to reply, giving Harvey time to reflect on how much he sounded like a dad.

Just as Harvey was helping Mike back out of the tub after a while, he heard the mail slip through the door. "Get dried," Harvey said to him, bundling a towel around the small boy on his way out.

He sifted through some of the usual stuff before noticing a red envelope with Mike's name written in curvy writing. Grinning widely as he realised what it was, he put it on the Christmas tree. He still wasn't sure if Mike wanted to have a particularly childish Christmas but decided to just go with his gut and see how it went.

When Mike came back out in clean clothes he went to go over to the kitchen table, before being beckoned over to the tree by Harvey. "Letter came for you, kid," he told the toddler, nodding towards the low branch he had propped it up on.

"Why's it on the tree?" Mike asked, frowning in confusion.

"It was here when I came out," Harvey lied easily.

"I didn't see it when I was out here," Mike said.

"Maybe that's just where it turned up when the rest of the mail came through. Are you going to open it or not?" Harvey left to make breakfast before Mike could poke any more holes in his plan. He was pouring cereal into a bowl when he heard a gasp and tiny, thumping footsteps coming towards him as Mike threw himself at Harvey's legs.

"Harvey, Santa sent me a letter back!"

"He did?" Harvey knelt down to look at the letter. He beamed widely, thanking the stars that Donna had given him that particular address that would send a letter back. "What did he say?" He waited patiently for Mike to slowly decipher the curled writing (and why they thought that was the best font to send to young children, he didn't know).

"He said he's gonna try his best to get me what I asked for," Mike summarised. "And he can't remember if I came to see him at the mall 'cause he's had so many kids and he gets tired."

"Understandable."

"... Can we go see him? I know I've already told him what I want, but can we still... can we still go? Just so he doesn't forget?" Harvey nodded, ruffling Mike's hair as he stood back up to finish their breakfast.

"Sure thing, kiddo."

* * *

><p>"Mike don't let go of my hand," Harvey told him firmly, clutching onto the little boy's hand in a death-grip as he manoeuvred through the crowds. Donna had been desperate to come with them and so they had to go on a Saturday when both of them were off work. This meant it was incredibly busy and Harvey was contemplating going on a mass-killing spree in the mall.<p>

"He's not going anywhere, kid, we have time," Harvey told him, as Mike started pulling on his hand.

"But he's busy! He might leave soon! There's loads of other people he needs to go visit before Christmas!" Mike argued as they finally got to the line for the grotto.

"It'll be fine," Harvey soothed. He had emailed the letter company Mike had sent his to and had gotten the letter back so he could see what the kid wanted. Mike had been surprisingly cagey with what he wanted for presents and Harvey had been panicking that he would end up giving Mike some socks and a book as the entirety of his present.

He was also intent on asking 'Santa' what Mike had asked for.

"Mike, do you need the toilet?" Donna cooed to him, seeing him bounce nervously in the line.

He scowled at her. "No!" Donna raised her eyebrow at Harvey, who just shook his head. Sometimes it was just easier to go along with Mike, rather than arguing - after all, he was the one who would pay the consequences if he was lying.

After a while Harvey had a headache. There were dozens of excited small children screaming and giggling and running around. Harvey could handle Mike on a high. But any other kid? It took all of his strength and patience not to just leave.

Finally, it was their turn to enter the grotto, and Harvey sighed slightly at the darkness. The twinkling fairy lights didn't bother him much - he had gotten used to them over the past few days when Mike insisted on just having them on rather than the main lights as they watched Christmas films.

"And what's your name?" The guy dressed as Santa sounded very warm and kind - Harvey would have thought that by now he'd be grumpy and couldn't wait to go home.

"Mike," he whispered, clutching onto Harvey's leg, suddenly terrified. Harvey sighed and moved forward, thankful when Mike moved with him.

"Hello, Mike - are you looking forward to Christmas?" Santa asked, giving a wry smile to Harvey who rolled his eyes as he had to move closer for Mike to move.

Mike nodded shyly. "I sent you a letter," he said in a whisper. "You replied."

"I did indeed," he nodded. "I promise to do my best with what you asked for. Would you like to remind me again?"

Mike nodded again and looked over at Harvey, his thumb going towards his mouth. "Go on," Harvey said, as Donna gently removed his thumb and pushed him slightly towards the large man in the red chair. Mike inched closer, and looked towards Harvey again. "It's alright," he nodded, causing Mike to finally go over and climb on the man's lap.

"I didn't..." Mike paused for a bit before shifting closer so he could whisper to Santa. "I didn't think you were real. But I'm glad you are."

The man smiled at him and patted his back. "And I'm glad you came to see me. Would you like to remind me what you asked for? If only for Mom and Dad's benefit," he nodded over to Harvey and Donna - one of whom nodded back and the other sniffed and took a picture.

Mike nodded and whispered into the man's ear. Harvey watched as the man listened attentively, occasionally nodding. When Mike drew back, he smiled. "I'll see what I can do. Would you like to take a small present in the meantime?" He gestured over to his side where there was a pile of small, wrapped presents.

Mike slid off his knee and went over, picking up one that looked like it would be something soft. He quickly made it back to Harvey's side and was pulled up to rest on Harvey's hip. He ripped open the present to discover a small soft toy that was no bigger than Harvey's hand. He smiled shyly at Santa and held the toy reindeer close to him.

"What do we say?" Harvey encouraged him.

"Thank you," Mike said quietly.

"You're very welcome, Mike," Santa said graciously. "Have fun on Christmas day, I'm sure you'll get very good presents."

Harvey nodded. "Donna, will you take Mike to the bathroom, please?" He asked, ignoring Mike's tut and pout. "Michael."

His tone instantly shut Mike up and the kid frowned but allowed himself to be lowered to the ground and took Donna's hand, waving shyly at Santa before leaving. As soon as he was gone Harvey quickly asked: "What did he say he wanted?"

Santa smiled at him. "A puppy."

"Well that's not going to happen."

"And for Harvey to never give him up. Does that mean anything?"

Harvey nodded, feeling a surprisingly thick lump in his throat. "Anything else?"

"That was the bulk of it. And then just some toys. Listen, guy - I got a line a mile long, you mind leaving?"

Harvey shrugged. "Thanks for your help." He left the grotto and made his way to the toilets just as a red-faced Mike was shepherded out of the women's toilets by Donna. "Ready to leave?"

Mike nodded and reached out to take Harvey's hand, only to find himself lifted into a hold. He didn't argue, instead he rested his cheek on Harvey's shoulder. Harvey wasn't sure how to _give _Mike the knowledge of knowing he would never give him up. He had told him countless times - the kid had nightmares about it and had climbed into Harvey's bed before - but whilst it had calmed the kid down then, apparently he couldn't let go of the small doubts circling his brain.

He guessed he just had to make Christmas the best Christmas Mike had ever had.

* * *

><p>"Get the door, kid."<p>

"Harvey I'm _busy_!"

"No you're not."

"Why can't you do it?"

"Because I'm making the dust you wanted. I could always stop and throw it in the bin seeing as you're not very grateful, but..."

"I'm going!"

Harvey smiled to himself as he heard Mike quickly run to the door. He was currently stood in the kitchen mixing oats and glitter in a bowl. Not one of the more manly pursuits he had followed over his lifetime, but Mike had requested it.

Well... More like ordered.

He had insisted that Harvey make 'reindeer dust' - something he shyly said that Grammy had done when he was little. Apparently, if you threw the mixture onto your lawn (or the balcony equivalent of one) then the reindeer would spot it and land. And the oats gave them something to eat while they waited. Harvey had tried not to laugh when Mike was explaining this - mostly because he was proud of how much the kid was opening up to him, and had managed to keep his face neutral as he agreed to create the dust.

"Hey, big brother."

Harvey looked up from his stirring to see Nick - although he could only recognise him from the eyes and because he knew his brother's voice too well. The rest of him was transformed. He was wearing a large red coat, a big white beard and he clearly had something down the costume to add a stomach to him.

"What are you - "

"Daddy, look - Santa came early!"

"I can see that," Harvey nodded, keeping his best poker face on as Mike skidded into the room excitedly. "And did Santa say _why _he got here too early? It's only Christmas Eve."

"Because he said he had something for us!" Mike told him excitedly. "If it's a present, _please _can I open it now?"

Harvey glanced over at Nick, his eyebrow raised. He knew his brother wasn't planning anything sinister, but he was still slightly wary of what he would do - especially when Mike had so much faith in Santa and Harvey knew his brother well and knew that he would more than likely slip up and take the beard off.

"It depends what it is," Harvey told Mike slowly.

"You should open it now," 'Santa' nodded to Harvey, before kneeling in front of Mike. "What I've got here, is very special," he confided. "When your dad was younger, he had a special Christmas stocking. He would use it every year and would tease his more talented, more handsome, amazing - "

"Nick," Harvey warned, without thinking.

"That's the one," Nick nodded. "His little brother. He would tell his brother stories about it. He would say they would shrink on Christmas Eve and climb inside it, and have adventures while they were waiting for Sa - for _me _to arrive with presents. But he lost it. There was a fire in their house and he thought he'd lost it. _But _your incredibly awesome Uncle Nick found it when he was rummaging in the attic one day. And he asked me to bring it here for you."

With that, 'Santa' brought a stocking from inside the small bag he was carrying. It wasn't much - it was just a normal stocking; green wool, with a home made snowflake pattern around the outside. Harvey tilted his head but took it, gazing at it in wonder. He'd thought it had been burnt in the fire. But here it was, as good as new.

Mike clamoured to look at it too, and soon kept a tight hold of it, as if frightened they would lose it a second time.

"Can we keep it?" He asked in a hushed voice. "Can Daddy use it again?"

"Yup," Santa nodded. "And that's not all. Here." With that, he got out another stocking. This one was made from blue wool, with snowmen on the outside. It was in exactly the same make and pattern as Harvey's. "This one's yours."

Mike's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah - I had a word with Mrs Claus and she tracked down the person who made it. That person decided you needed one too. I can't promise all your presents will fit inside it," he joked, "but I'm sure it'll look good on the fireplace."

Mike scampered over to the fireplace and held both stockings up, as if checking to see what looked best. "Thank you, Santa!" He hugged Nick's legs.

Harvey picked up the two stockings, looking at them. The person who had made Harvey's stocking was his own mother. Nick must have told their mother to make an extra one. But Harvey still had yet to tell his parents about Mike. Had Nick already done so? He put them both up on the fireplace so that they hung down, and had to keep shooing Mike away from his old one. The kid kept touching it - and Harvey didn't even know why. He just sometimes rubbed it occasionally, or looked at it as if he'd never seen anything like it before.

"Okay - I have to go," 'Santa' said. "I've got a lot to do before tonight."

"But Uncle Nick's coming round soon!" Mike protested. "Don't you want to meet him?"

Harvey smirked but rested his hand on Mike's hair. "Santa has a lot to do, Mike," he explained. "He needs to leave. Alright?" Mike pouted but nodded, waving as 'Santa' left.

Afterwards, Mike bounced aimlessly around the condo in excitement and nerves - Nick was bringing the present Mike had gotten for Harvey and Mike was worried it wouldn't get there on time. Thankfully, Nick soon got there - suspiciously not long after Santa had left, which Mike commented on morosely until Nick assured him he had bumped into Santa on the way there.

"Did you bring it?" Mike asked him quietly, as Harvey had gone into his bedroom to grab a thicker sweatshirt for Mike to wear before they went out onto the balcony to throw the dust that Mike was insistent on throwing.

Nick scoffed. "Of course!" He pulled out a small, wrapped present that had been housed at his apartment since Mike had made it there one day he was being babysat. Mike quickly put it in Harvey's stocking, just before the man himself walked back in.

"Arms up," he said, pulling the thick sweater that Donna had apparently knitted (Harvey suspected she bought it, but when he presented her with that theory, she made a very cutting threat regarding one of his most prized parts of anatomy) over Mike's head and arms. "Ready?"

Mike nodded and pulled on Harvey's hands. "Uncle Nick, do you want some too?" He asked, indicating to the pot of 'reindeer dust' Harvey had made.

"I'm busy being the wildlife photographer for this," he grinned at Mike, sticking his tongue out in retaliation when Mike stuck his out. They went outside and Mike grabbed a handful from Harvey, sprinkling it around the balcony, his eyes lighting up as he saw some of the glitter twinkle in the darkness, helped by the light from the moon.

"Right, now we know he's coming, we can - " Harvey began saying, before being cut off.

"Wait, the sign, Daddy! The sign!" Mike swung on his hands, pulling on them. He pointed to the sign that was lying on the floor. Harvey smiled indulgently and stood it up, propping it with some plant pots to keep it upright. The words 'Santa Stop Here' were clearly visible, and Mike grinned.

"Right; bed time," Harvey told him. "If you want Santa to get here you might want to start sleeping."

Nick grinned at him as Mike agreed and ran back inside, shivering from the cold December air. "Bet that's the first time you don't need to force him to go to bed."

Harvey rolled his eyes. "He's been wanting to go to bed since 3 this afternoon. I don't know which one's worse."

They went inside and Mike was trying to reach the kitchen counter that held a plate of mince pies. He was stood on his tiptoes and was only just skimming the pies with his fingers. When Harvey and Nick came in he turned and grinned slightly.

"We need to leave one out for Santa! And a glass of milk! Please?"

Harvey smiled at him and grabbed a plate from a cupboard before placing a pie on it, handing it to Mike. The kid eagerly ran to the fireplace and carefully arranged it so that Santa wouldn't knock it over as he came down the chimney, nor would he ignore it. Harvey then handed him the glass of milk, which was also quickly placed next to it.

"_Now _can I go to bed?" Mike whined, stamping his foot.

Harvey huffed out a laugh but picked him up. "Say goodnight to Uncle Nick," he said, moving over so that Nick could reach the toddler.

"Night night, Unca Nick," Mike beamed at him excitedly.

"Night, munchkin," Nick replied, ruffling his hair. "I'll see you tomorrow." He grinned at Harvey before letting himself out.

"C'mon then, kiddo," Harvey murmured, carrying him to the fully converted bedroom, sitting on the bed with him. "Which story?" He asked, nodding to a pile of books on the bedside table next to the bed; a large blue lamp glowing warmly next to them.

"A Christmas one!" Mike insisted, pointing to one book.

Harvey picked it up and began, pulling Mike closer as he read. _"It was Christmas Eve, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring - not even a mouse..._"

* * *

><p>Harvey knew he would be woken up early. And in more than likely an undignified way.<p>

So it wasn't surprising at all when he felt the wind rush out of him as Mike jumped on his stomach, babbling intelligibly. The few words Harvey could pick out were 'Daddy', 'Santa' and 'presents'. He pushed himself up, trying to rub sleep out of his eyes as Mike bounced around him excitedly.

"Slow down, kid," he mumbled, blinking in order to make out the time on his clock. He sighed when he saw it was five o clock. Mike had probably already been up for an hour at least. And he knew he would refuse to nap on Christmas day. Knowing he was headed for a long day, Harvey slid back down in his bed, breathing out slowly.

"Nooooo," Mike whined, pulling at him. "You hafta wake _up_!"

"Mike I will feel no remorse if I put you in time out before you open a single present," Harvey grumbled.

"What if I bring you breakfast in bed?" Mike asked, bouncing.

"You know you're not allowed to make any food without me there," Harvey reminded him, trying to fall back to sleep.

"But I already brought you it!" Mike said cheerfully. Harvey slowly opened his eyes and sat up warily.

"What did you do?"

Mike shuffled off him and brought up a box of cereal and a carton of milk. "I couldn't reach the bowls," he lamented. "But I managed to get a spoon!" He thrust the spoon into Harvey's hands.

Harvey shook his head, not being able to stop the smile forming. "I think we'll leave breakfast up to me in the future."

"I wanted to do something nice 'cause of waking you up," Mike told him. "_Now _can I open presents?"

Harvey wanted to suggest trying to sleep for an extra hour. He wanted to suggest making breakfast _properly _before doing anything. He wanted to just roll over and go back to sleep.

Instead, he just got out of bed and sent Mike to the bathroom to use the toilet. He was also under express orders to put another pull-up on afterwards. Harvey's reasoning being that Mike would be constantly over-excited and he wanted to be on the safe side.

The kid was unusually willing to follow his instructions - he was probably just wanting to open his presents as soon as possible.

Finally (in Mike's words, it had taken _forever _for Harvey to let him do it, whereas in Harvey's world, it had taken him all of five minutes after Mike had skidded back into the room from the bathroom), Harvey allowed himself to be taken into the living room.

Mike had nearly hyperventilated after seeing the mince pie had been eaten, and the glass of milk was empty as well. He knelt down in front of the Christmas tree and gazed at the presents with wide eyes. He'd never really had many presents at any point in his life. But these large, nicely-wrapped gifts were all for him.

"Merry Christmas, Mikey," Harvey said from his position on the couch, a well-needed cup of coffee in his hand. Mike grinned at him as he twisted to face him. He didn't say anything but gazed at Harvey until he rolled his eyes. "Yes, you can open them now."

Mike dived into his presents, and was at least somewhat mindful of the wrapping that Harvey had spent a whole day doing. He didn't rip into the presents, as Harvey assumed he would, and instead carefully unwrapped them, each time spending a little time exploring the present before Harvey gently reminded him there were more.

Not that he was complaining - although Mike excitedly played with each present and gave a cry of delight at each one, he was generally quite quiet, allowing Harvey to nod off on the couch as he did so.

It wasn't long before Mike shook him awake, a disapproving look on his face. "Harvey," he whined. "You can't sleep _now_! It's morning!"

Glancing over at the clock, he realised it was now seven am. Still too early in his opinion, but every other morning this was when he decreed was a reasonable time for Mike to be awake. "Okay, kiddo," he pushed himself up some more, finishing off his coffee. "Are you happy with what Santa brought you?"

"I thought these were all from you," Mike frowned, confused.

"Have you checked your stocking?" Harvey asked him. Mike's eyes lit up and he stumbled over to the fireplace, carefully unhooking both his and Harvey's stockings and bringing them both over, climbing onto Harvey's lap. He pulled the present out of the stocking and turned it over in his hands, trying to figure out what it was before he unwrapped it.

He finally did so, and looked at it in bewilderment. "This isn't a puppy."

Harvey laughed slightly. "No. It's not."

"This is my old birth certificate," Mike said slowly. "How did you get this?"

"Santa," Harvey remarked simply. "Look at the next one."

Mike moved the paper so he was looking at a sheet beneath. "It's a new one," Mike whispered. Harvey nodded and moved Mike slightly so that he could look him in the eyes. Mike shuffled a few more papers to see the various forms that Harvey had signed.

"All of this - this shows that I'm your father," Harvey told him. "And don't even think about it," he said, as Mike opened his mouth, no doubt about to join in with a Star Wars quote. "This shows that I will _never _give you up. You got that? The law says I have to be responsible for you until you're 18. That is exactly what's going to happen. And after - as long as possible, I'm still going to be responsible for you. You're my kid now, and I'm not giving you up."

Mike stared up at him, unblinking.

Harvey coughed slightly uncomfortably. "At least, I'm assuming that's what Santa meant by it." Mike nodded and continued to stare down at the papers. "I hope you're not disappointed with it," Harvey said, now slightly nervous. He'd gotten the kid lots of toys - maybe he'd wanted a few more?

Mike shook his head, turning to bury his face in Harvey's neck, his arms wrapping around him. Harvey rubbed his back and they sat there in silence for a few moments before Mike mumbled: "Don't fall asleep."

Harvey huffed out a laugh and ruffled the toddler's hair. "I won't. Do you want some breakfast?"

"You have to look in your stocking first!" Mike insisted, bouncing slightly on his lap. Harvey raised his eyebrow but did so, surprised to find there was actually something in there. He pulled out the wrapped present, and knew straight away who it was from. It was badly wrapped, but Harvey knew Mike had wrapped it at Nick's house. Mike didn't have the coordination for neat wrapping and Nick was just awful at it; it was more than likely a combination of both of them.

He unwrapped it to find that Mike had gotten him a scarf and some gloves.

"It's not much," Mike mumbled. "But I didn't know what you wanted, and you never wear them anyway so I thought maybe you didn't have any, and I didn't want you to get cold, so I thought if I just bought you this then - "

"Mike," Harvey stopped him before he could go much further. "Stop. This is great. Thank you."

And he meant it. If it was from a distant relative then he would roll his eyes and not think twice about it, but it was nice material with a pale blue that was almost grey colour. Plus it was different. It was from Mike.

He could already see himself wearing it all the time. He knew whenever he wore it, he would end up thinking of Mike.

"Breakfast?" Harvey suggested, moving Mike to one side so that he could stand up and go into the kitchen. Mike nodded and carefully placed his various certificates and paperwork somewhere it wouldn't get ruined and grabbed Harvey's stocking as he followed the man.

He didn't know what the pull of the stocking was, but it felt really nice and soft, and clutching it gave him some kind of sense of peace.

"When's Donna coming round?" Mike asked, keeping one hand firmly wrapped around the stocking whilst the other reached up to pull on Harvey's sleeping pants.

"About midday," he replied, rubbing at his eyes. "She'll leave when you go for a nap."

"I'm not having a nap today," Mike said stubbornly, sounding very sure of himself.

_We'll see about that_, Harvey thought, raising an eyebrow.

* * *

><p>To his surprise, Mike didn't complain about being tired once. Harvey himself managed to sneak in an hour's nap whilst Mike was running around the condo with various new toys. He woke up just as the doorbell went and tried to comb his fingers through his hair in a failed attempt to make it seem like he <em>hadn't <em>just woken up. Donna noticed anyway, but was stopped from commenting, as Mike pulled on her hand and dragged her away to see all the new toys he had received.

Having never properly cooked what Donna had said was a 'real Christmas dinner', Harvey was pushed out of the kitchen and instead lolled on the couch watching cheesy Christmas movies with Mike at his feet; the kid was half paying attention and half creating an elaborate train track for his new trains to speed around. When he was finished, Harvey didn't think he'd be able to get from the couch to anywhere in his condo, it was that big.

Thankfully, when Donna told him that the food was ready, he somehow managed to climb over it without breaking anything, and could then just focus on eating and making sure Mike didn't spill too much down himself.

When the meal was finished, Donna suddenly brought a present out from nowhere, but sensed how much leverage she had.

"Here's the deal," she said, as Mike bounced around her excitedly. "I'll give you this, if you show me that you actually wear the onesie I bought you."

Mike pulled a face and looked over at Harvey with a pout. The man simply shrugged his shoulders. He had kept the onesie she had bought, but Mike had never once worn it. "Your call, kid."

Mike pouted some more and pulled at Donna. "_Please _can I have my present?" He asked, his eyes wide and pitiful. "I don't wanna wear the onesie."

"Why not? Don't you like it?" Donna asked, and Harvey could tell the fake tears she was pulling forward were making Mike feel guilty. Eventually, he sighed and went into his room, soon coming out in the red onesie Donna had once bought for him.

"Don't laugh," he grumbled at Harvey, before getting swept into a cuddle by Donna.

"Oh you're so adorable!" She gushed. "My little king of the wild things!" Mike's paper crown from the crackers they pulled was sitting lop-sidedly on his head, so he bore some resemblance to Max in Where The Wild Things Are.

"Can I have my present now?" He asked. "Please?"

"Of course," she put him back down (in such a way that it looked like it pained her to do so) and gave him the present. He frowned when he saw that inside it was another onesie, but this time it looked like a dinosaur. He tried to school his features into gratitude but knew he couldn't quite manage it.

"Don't worry, sweetie," she said. "That's just a small one. Your other one's here." She grinned as she pulled another present from the bag she had placed by the door when she first walked in. Upon seeing Harvey's expression, she laughed. "You can't talk, Specter - I know all of these presents are from you!"

Mike excitedly opened the present, this time grinning as he saw that it was a Wii.

"Donna," Harvey said warningly as Mike gazed at it in delight. "You can't give him one of those."

"I can give him whatever I want," Donna replied, drawing herself up to be taller in height.

"Donna he's _three_!" Harvey said, exasperatedly.

"I'm not giving it to him along with shooting games, Harvey," Donna rolled her eyes. "I'm giving it to him to help improve his coordination. Plus, it's something you can play on with him without feeling any less of a man. I've seen the faces you pull when he makes you play with his soft toys."

"Blocks and trains are fine," he reminded her. "Cars are fine. _Hard _toys are fine. Soft toys are not masculine."

"Oh like you really care," Donna scoffed. "I've _also _seen you making one of those toys _dance _for his entertainment."

"He didn't feel well," Harvey shifted uncomfortably.

"You can only fool so many people," Donna said wisely, her attention getting turned back to Mike as he pulled on her leg. "Yes, sweetie?"

"Can we play on it now?"

"Let Harvey set it up," Donna said to him, smiling sweetly at the man in question. Harvey groaned but got on with it, plugging in various wires (he wouldn't say he was a whiz when it came to technology, but he wasn't too bad) until he had the loaded menu up on screen.

They all took it in turns to verse each other on various games, until after a very fevered and exciting game of car racing, Harvey decreed that they should stop, having just positively sprinted to the toilet with Mike in order to stop him having an accident.

* * *

><p>It was getting late, and Mike had still not yet had a nap. Harvey marvelled at how the kid still wasn't cranky. He was yawning, and quite sluggish, but he climbed onto the couch and sat on Harvey's lap and demanded they put BBC America on so they could watch Doctor Who.<p>

When it was finished, Harvey moved Mike onto the couch and ruffled his hair gently as he went into the kitchen to clear up from dinner. Donna gave him a smile and passed him a bin bag to tidy up the various wrapping papers strewn around the place.

"Had a good day?" Donna asked.

"I've had a tiring one," Harvey replied. "Kid woke me up at five and wouldn't let me go back to bed. I think he's about to start a vendetta against sleep."

"And he hasn't had a nap yet?" Donna asked.

"Nope," Harvey sighed. "It's amazing he's in as a good a mood as he is. Any other day the lack of sleep mixed with wearing a pull-up all day would mean I'd have given him about seven time-outs."

Donna smiled. "Well just be glad he liked all the presents. Did Santa come?"

Harvey simply nodded, not elaborating on it. He wearily trudged back into the living room, bracing himself to suggest an early bedtime to Mike.

He stopped short at the sight of Mike lying on his stomach on the couch, sucking his thumb. His backside was sticking in the air slightly, much like a baby's would, and you could just make out the pull-up he was wearing - the red onesie Donna had forced him into adding to the cute scene. The paper hat he had won from his Christmas cracker was still on his head and he curled up with Harvey's stocking, clutching it to his face and rubbing it against his cheek softly as he gave a small, sleepy snuffle.

Harvey didn't think he'd ever seen anything as adorable as that in his whole life.

"Alright, I think it's time for someone to go to bed," Harvey said, his lips quirking into an adoring smile. Donna walked over from where she had been stacking dishes in the dishwasher and beamed.

"I really want to pinch his cheeks," she confided, having to step back in case she tried it. Harvey smiled at her before carefully extracting Mike from the couch, holding him under his armpits before he could bring him closer to his body, slowly rocking and rubbing his back to make sure he had a secure hold and that Mike would be lulled back to sleep if he was awoken.

"Say goodnight to Donna," Harvey murmured, bouncing him slightly and gently pulling the paper crown off his head. As expected, Mike didn't make a sound, instead he chose to drool slightly on Harvey's top. "Lovely," he mumbled, nodding to Donna to show he would be out in a bit before walking slowly into Mike's room.

He carefully unzipped the onesie to check Mike didn't need a new pull-up before zipping it up again and pulling the quilt over him, letting him keep hugging the stocking. "Night, buddy," he whispered, pushing away a few wispy locks of hair and kissing the toddler's forehead.

Mike's hand sleepily came up and grabbed his own, even in his sleep and brought it down to cradle it to his chest. Harvey smiled and crouched down, stroking Mike's head. "I'm gonna need my hand back soon, kiddo," he said quietly. "We need to set up some of the toys that we didn't get to today, don't we?"

Mike snuffled and let Harvey's hand slide out of his grip. "That's my boy," he cooed, ruffling his hair one last time before switching on the night light and and backing out of the door.

"Daddy..."

He stopped and went back in. "Yeah?"

"Thanks..."

"Go back to sleep, Mike."

"M'kay..."

Harvey grinned and watched as Mike went boneless once more.

"Love 'oo, Daddy..."

"Love you too, kiddo."

* * *

><p><strong>AN Guyssss I'm still so, SO sorry about the wait D: You all must hate me right now, and it looks like my workload won't really settle down until Christmas :( I will try my very best to keep updating - I hope this pacifies you in some way because it's my longest chapter ever at about 13,000 words?**

**Anyway - again I'm so sorry but I hope you enjoyed this chapter nonetheless :)**


	23. Adventures In Mikesitting

**A/N Hey guys :D I'm so so so so sorry about the wait - you have NO idea how busy I've been - 3 projects on the go at once isn't good for fic-writing. It also took awhile because another chapter that is partly written was supposed to go here but because of recent events I've got that suspended for now.**

**Mike's Age: 4**

* * *

><p>There were several times throughout the younger part of Mike's life that Harvey had to find alternative childcare methods. As much as he wanted to take the kid into work with him, he knew it wasn't practical. Sure, he could do the odd day, wherein Mike would find it a novelty and talk to everyone and amuse himself when Harvey was busy – but if he consistently brought Mike in, Jessica started bitching.<p>

It wasn't that she didn't like the small boy; she did, but she didn't think having a child let loose in the firm was very conducive to getting work done.

Especially when one of the Senior Partners got distracted and agreed to read to/play with/cuddle said child.

Harvey had found an amazing childcare place he would drop Mike off to each morning. The woman who owned it, Karen, was really good with kids – and even a shy kid like Mike instantly warmed to her and eventually let his grip on Harvey loosen after an hour, letting him go to work two hours late.

However, there were days it was shut or days that Karen was unable to perform her usual duties.

And some days – or weeks, like this one – the daycare was being renovated and Harvey found himself trying to figure out what to do with his four year old for a week.

* * *

><p><strong>Monday: Louis<strong>

"Mikey, go wait in my office for me, okay?" Harvey said, watching the small boy nod and run into his office, climbing onto the couch and pulling out his plastic dinosaurs to make them go on a rampage on Harvey's coffee table.

"Donna, I need a favour," Harvey began, already holding a cup of coffee and a blueberry muffin in payment.

"No," she said, not even looking at him.

"Donna," he said – in what was suspiciously sounding like a whine.

"Harvey I have possibly even more work to do than you, I don't have time to babysit."

"But you like Mike!"

"I do, I adore him, but it doesn't mean I have the time to look after him," she told him. "Why can't he stay with you today?"

Harvey sighed. "I have a meeting with Mr. Cohen today and I really can't afford to have Mike sitting in on it – I know he'd get bored and; adult mind or not, he wouldn't understand not to disturb me."

"I'm assuming leaving him with Jessica is out of the question?" Donna suggested, smiling at the sight of Mike holding a small toy above his head and making it roar.

"She likes him, sure, but she doesn't like him being in the firm," Harvey said, sighing. "Do you know anyone who could take him?"

"Well…" she tailed off, glancing down the corridor. Harvey followed her eyes and spotted a certain office.

"No," he said straight away. "Absolutely not."

"Harvey, he's babysat for you before!"

"Yes, and now he thinks I owe him one!"

"Which you do."

"But I can't admit it!" He told her, running a hand through his hair. "I'll just keep him in my office. He'll be quiet."

"You'll regret that," Donna said in a sing-song voice, grabbing the coffee and muffin out of his hands.

"We'll prove Donna wrong, won't we?" Harvey said to Mike, walking into his office.

"Uh-huh," Mike nodded in agreement, having no idea what they had just been talking about. "Daddy can I have a platypus?"

"No, Mike, you can't have a platypus," Harvey replied, opening his laptop and booting it up.

"I want a Perry," Mike pouted. "Can I have a puppy instead?"

"Nope," Harvey replied, already wishing he'd sent Mike somewhere else. He knew the kid didn't mean to, but he kept talking and Harvey knew he wouldn't be able to stop in time for the meeting. "We already have one puppy at home, we don't need another."

"I'm not a puppy!" Mike argued, climbing onto Harvey's knee.

Harvey couldn't help but smile at him. "Sure you're not, buddy." Mike barked at him, making him chuckle. "Okay, Rover - how about you play really quietly while I have my meeting, okay?"

Mike frowned. "I don't like playing quietly," he said.

"Don't I know it," Harvey muttered. "Well if you _can_ manage it, you can have a platypus."

Mike's eyes widened and he immediately wiggled off Harvey's lap, taking his toys to a corner of the room and sitting down, making no noise at all.

"That's just cruel," Donna said to him, walking in to pass him his schedule for the day.

"I didn't tell him what kind of platypus," Harvey shrugged. "Besides; can you see him actually managing to stay quiet?" He smirked at the face Donna pulled. "Exactly. If he manages it, I'll get him a toy."

Donna rolled her eyes and left, getting to her desk just in time for Mr. Cohen to come striding down the corridor. "Mr. Cohen," she greeted, looking surprised. "Your meeting isn't for another two hours."

"I know, but I'm in a rush," he told her, walking past and into Harvey's office without even waiting or knocking. Donna rushed in after him, but found that Harvey had quickly collected himself and was shaking the man's hand.

"Reginald," he greeted. "How are you?"

"Busy," he man said, quickly going to take a seat before hearing a crunch from beneath him. "What on earth...?" He moved his foot and saw he had crushed a small toy. Looking up at Harvey in confusion, he bent down to pick it up. "What's this?"

Harvey groaned slightly. "That's..."

"My dino!" A small voice cried out. "You broke it!"

"I'm sorry?" The man said - not apologetically, but confusedly.

"Reginald, this is my son, Mike," Harvey hastened to tell him, putting a hand on Mike's shoulder. "Unfortunately he likes to leave his toys scattered around."

"He broke it," Mike whispered, looking up at Harvey with wobbly lips.

"He didn't mean to," Harvey tried to pacify him. "Look, kiddo - we'll fix it later; how about you let us work and then afterwards we'll see if Donna can do something with it - alright?"

Mike sniffled but nodded, looking over at Mr. Cohen with distaste before retreating to a corner, trying to grab as many toys as possible so that there was less chance of more of them being broken.

It wasn't to be, however, as Mr. Cohen sat down and then leapt up again. "What the hell?" He exclaimed, pulling a teddy out from underneath him. Harvey felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked over at Mike to see if the kid had spotted it.

Unfortunately, he had looked up at Mr. Cohen's yell and his eyes widened, his mouth literally hanging open.

"You sat on HB!" He yelped, scrambling over and yanking the toy from the man's hands.

"Mike..." Harvey started to say, before he was cut off.

"Damned toy should be left at home, not in the workplace," Mr. Cohen grumbled. "Piece of junk. You should throw it away."

"No!" Mike cried out. "Don't throw him away, Daddy!" He threw himself at Harvey. clutching HB to himself. "I'll be good!"

"I'd never throw HB away, buddy," Harvey promised him, wishing he could glare at his client for making Mike think it was all his fault. "How about you take HB and - "

"But he _squashed _him!" Mike wailed, tears coming to his eyes.

"He'll live," Harvey shushed him. However, Mike wasn't swayed, and instead let tears drip down his face.

"Wanna go home!" He cried. Harvey sighed and picked Mike up.

"Excuse me for just one second," he said, quickly leaving his office. Donna was already on her feet, hands on her hips. "Don't say it," he warned her, passing Mike over to her.

"I told you so," she said regardless, patting Mike's back. "Stop crying, sweetie, HB's fine. Harvey I already said I won't babysit," she added.

"I can't take him back in there!" He said, before having Mike tug on his sleeve. "What, kiddo?"

"I'm sorry I was bad," he said, voice wobbling.

"It wasn't your fault, buddy," Harvey assured him.

"But I wanted a platypus!" Mike cried, reminding Harvey of their agreement. The man glanced over at Donna, who shook her head.

"I'll get you one, kiddo," Harvey told him, wincing as he heard Donna tut. "Let me go back into my meeting." Mike whimpered pitifully. "Donna," Harvey said, pleadingly. Donna sighed but hoisted Mike up further on her hip.

"I'm taking him to Louis' office," she declared, ignoring Harvey's protests. "He doesn't have anything today and you do," she reminded him. "Come on, sweetie," she said to Mike. "Let's leave Daddy to his work and go see what Louis is up to."

Mike pouted over at Harvey but allowed himself to be carried to Louis' office.

* * *

><p>"No, Donna - I cannot do this, I have too much work to do; the associates - "<p>

"Whilst not entirely competent are capable of doing any work you assign," Donna finished for him. "And he won't be in your way - will you?" She asked Mike, who shook his head from his position on the couch and gently moved HB so he was sitting on his lap.

"Have fun, boys," Donna smiled before quickly taking her exit.

Louis sighed and looked over at Mike, who was frowning and hugging his bear. "What's wrong with you?"

"Mr. Cohen hurt HB," he mumbled in reply. "He sat on him, and now HB's arm's broken."

"Oh," was all Louis said in reply. "That's... a shame."

"Wanna help me fix it?" Mike asked eagerly, clambering off the couch and onto Louis' lap. The man flailed awkwardly for a while before slowly putting his arm around Mike in case the kid fell off him. Mike sat HB on the desk facing them and reached for Louis' box of tissues.

"Those are Armani handkerchiefs, you can't just - " Louis' protests were cut off as Mike ripped one, proving they weren't handkerchiefs and were, in actual fact, just tissues. He watched as the kid started wrapping one around the toy's paw, and reached for a water bottle near them.

"What are you doing, that's my - " Again he was stopped as Mike carefully tipped the bottle to put a few drops of water onto the material, to soak it just enough to stick together and not unravel. However, for some reason, Louis had the lid loose, and it felt off - tipping water onto both of them, flooding his desk and soaking HB. Louis immediately leapt up, holding Mike under his armpits and keeping him in mid-air until he stopped dripping.

"Oops."

Louis looked at Mike, who bit his lip and tried to look guilty but instead just looked pleased and as if he wanted to do it all again.

"Norma get Harold to bring in a chair and paper towels. Lots of paper towels," Louis said to the intercom, apparently having mastered Harvey's skill of not having to press buttons.

Mike swung awkwardly in the air for a minute before Harold rushed in with a chair, which Louis instantly dumped the small child onto. He took the paper towels off Harold and after a few seconds of the associate stood there, his mouth gaping, Louis snapped at him and he quickly left.

"I can't believe this," Louis bitched, trying to lessen the damp stains on his suit. "You know this is my second best suit? I don't have time for this! Just sit there and play quietly."

"But HB's all wet," Mike pouted, not really feeling at all threatened or upset by what the man was saying. If it was Harvey, he would have been hurt, but Louis was just always like this. "Will you dry him?"

"I can't even dry myself off, how do you expect me to dry him?"

"The dryers in the toilets!" Mike explained, tugging on his sodden suit and carefully picking his teddy up. However, Louis quickly took it from him, holding it carefully at arms length with a paper towel underneath it.

"You seriously want me to take this through the firm, dripping with water, and then dry it in the toilets?"

"Uh-huh."

"... Fine, but then afterwards you have to be quiet."

"I will be!" Mike promised, nodding wildly. He pulled at Louis and they slowly made their (rather damp) way towards the toilets. Louis looked down at the small child who was every so often giggling and stamping a foot down harder to hear it squelch.

Damn.

If Mike's clothing was that wet, he had to get him out of it, or Harvey would kill him.

When they reached the toilets, Louis quickly grabbed Mike by the armpits and put him on the counter by the sinks. "How wet are your clothes?"

In response, Mike gripped his trousers at the knee and Louis saw water run off them. Sighing, the man untied Mike's laces and pulled them off as well, letting them fall to the floor and water pool around them. He pulled Mike's socks off too, hesitating when the boy giggled and twitched as he did so. Mike pulled off his top helpfully and dumped it on the pile of wet clothes.

"Mike, you can't just walk around naked," Louis said.

Mike rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to. I have spare clothes."

"Okay, where are they?"

"In a bag in Daddy's office."

Louis pales slightly. That would mean having to go face to face with Harvey and somehow explain that the small boy needed new clothes. He'd probably get thrown out of the window at the first sign of a sniffle from the kid.

"How did one bottle of water even do this?" Louis asked, looking at the pile of sopping clothes on the floor. Mike shrugged, shivering slightly, prompting Louis to haul him off the counter and place him underneath the hand dryer, switching it on. "Stay there," he ordered, passing Mike HB. "I'll be back in a minute."

Questioning how Harvey managed to do this thing called 'parenting' without having to resort to sticking a half-naked four year old underneath hand dryers in toilets, Louis quickly made his way to Harvey's office, thankful that the man himself didn't notice.

"Donna," he hissed, standing far enough away so that Harvey might not be able to see him, and yet close enough for Donna to hear. She looked up, puzzled, before spotting Louis.

"What are you doing?" She asked, trying to look behind him. "Where's Mike?"

"I left him in the bathroom. I need his change of clothes."

"Why?"

"He spilt water. A lot of water."

"Well his bag's in Harvey's office," Donna told him, nodding her head over to where it would be housed.

"I know," Louis said through clenched teeth. "But as soon as he finds out what's happened he'll never let me forget it. He's supposed to owe me for this, but he'll twist it so that I'm responsible!"

Donna looked at him with sympathy for a second before finally nodding and standing up. "I'll get the bag - you wait here."

"You're a goddess."

"I'm not filling in for Norma."

"Dammit."

* * *

><p>When Louis and Mike got back into Louis' office, thankfully no longer covered in water and in dry clothes (with a very fluffy looking HB), Louis instructed Mike to sit on the chair Harold had wheeled in.<p>

However, after a while Louis found himself with Mike on his lap once more, pulling at his sleeve whenever he talked.

And he talked a lot.

"Uncle Nick works at the natural history museum - he's going to take me there and show me all the dinosaurs."

"Donna said that the other assistants have bet on how long Norma's gonna stay for until she quits."

_"What?!"_

"Did you know that giraffes can clean their ears with their tongues?"

"Did you know that teeth are almost as hard as rocks?"

_"I don't think that - " _

"And that there are 293 ways to make change for a dollar?"

_"Mike - _"

"We went to see the Lorax," Mike informed him, as he doodled absent-mindedly on a piece of paper.

"Uh-huh," Louis muttered, no longer listening to Mike's apparently never-ending waterfall of knowledge.

"Yeah, and now I wanna plant a tree because they might all run out soon," Mike said, pulling at him because he could tell Louis wasn't really listening.

"That's nice," the man mumbled, typing something on his laptop.

"Can we plant a tree?"

"What?" Louis finally snapped out of his work-induced trance. "No, we cannot plant a tree. Do you see anywhere to plant one in here?"

Mike looked up at him with wide eyes, slightly cowed by the man's sudden snap. His eyes started to fill with tears.

"It's just, uh - it's not really practical in here..."

The lips had started wobbling.

"And, uh - if I got any mud in..."

There was a small sniffle.

"Fine!" Louis threw his hands up in the air. "I wasn't working anyway!"

Mike beamed and immediately stopped crying, showing Louis exactly how he had Harvey twisted around his little finger. The kid shuffled off Louis' knee and made for a plant pot he had.

"No, no, no, no - that's a banana plant my parents gave me when I graduated Harvard!" His warning went unnoticed and Mike pulled from the bottom of the plant, trying to uproot it. "No, _stop_," Louis said firmly, grabbing hold of Mike's hands and moving them away from the plant. "We are _not _destroying my banana plant just so you can plant a tree. How are you going to do it anyway? You don't have anything to plant!"

Mike frowned at him as he pointed out the flaws in his plan. Louis looked at his watch, trying not to scream and hoping that Mike was doing the same. He got Norma to ask Donna if Harvey had finished needing a babysitter.

She sent him a withering look but did as he asked, sharing a laugh for a second with Donna over what he assumed was his own incompetence. Thankfully, she got back to him with a thumb's up.

He breathed a sigh of relief and glanced over at Mike, who was still pouting at him.

"You can leave now," Louis told him.

"What?"

"You don't need to be here anymore."

Mike frowned, looking confused, before Norma swooped into the office and saved the day. "What he means, dear, is that your Dad is finished with his meeting. You can go back to him if you want."

Mike beamed and scrambled up off the floor, grabbing HB in his flight and hurried out of the door.

Louis slouched down in his chair in relief at the sudden peace, before the small ball of energy rushed back into the room, smacking into him and hugging his legs. "Thank you for drying HB!" He said, before running away again.

Louis rolled his eyes but as soon as the door shut, Mike was gone and Norma was back at her desk, he started to smile.

* * *

><p><strong>Tuesday: Donna<strong>

Donna had actually agreed to look after Mike this time, after Harvey had begged her over the phone that night whilst Mike was apparently causing a mess in the bathroom during his bath.

"Come on, Donna - it's one day; you know I wouldn't be asking if - _Mike, stop that!_ - if it wasn't important. I have a meeting between - _Mike if you don't stop splashing you'll be sat in the time-out corner exactly as you are right now _- between 3 and 7, so if you could just have him for that I would be really - _Right, that's it - time-out_ - I'd be really grateful."

Donna had heard the splash of Harvey pulling Mike from the bath and moving rooms. She learnt afterwards that Harvey had just laid a towel down on the time-out stool and made Mike sit on it, for ten minutes - completely naked, dripping wet and covered in bubbles.

The main reason she had agreed to watch Mike was because she was looking forward to seeing Harvey's harried face when she answered the door. What made it better was that he thrust the kid at her with a pleading expression mixed with eternal gratitude.

"I just need to warn you, Harvey - " She started to speak, before barking sounded from inside her home.

"Donna..." Harvey said slowly. "What was that?"

"The dog," Donna said, shrugging, enjoying herself far too much.

"The... the dog?" Harvey stuttered, looking down at Mike, who looked ecstatic at the thought of being around a dog.

"Yes, Harvey, the dog. My sister's gone on vacation and she needed someone to look after her." Donna tutted. "I told you a week ago."

"You have a dog?" Mike asked, pulling on Donna's arm. "Can I go see it? What's it's name?"

"Go right in, sweetie - her name's Genie," Donna told him.

"Donna, is this dog even safe?" Harvey asked her.

"What do you mean?"

"Has it had it's shots? What if it bites him?"

"Harvey," she said exasperatedly. "That dog is the stupidest dog in the world. She doesn't know _how _to bite. You really think I'd agree to have Mike here if I didn't trust her?"

Harvey shuffled on his feet before realising he _really _had to leave. "Fine," he muttered. "But if _anything _happens - "

"Leave now, Harvey," Donna rolled her eyes, taking the backpack he had brought with him and shutting the door in his face.

* * *

><p>Mike was giggling hysterically as Genie licked at him excitedly. Donna knew that Harvey was worried about the dog for two reasons - firstly, the biting; which was eliminated as soon as Mike entered the room and the dog jumped around him (knocking him over a couple of times but Donna wouldn't tell Harvey) and licked him. Secondly, she knew he was worried Mike would beg for a dog of his own (which he had been doing for months).<p>

Donna knew that Harvey wouldn't back down, but she knew he'd have a fight on his hands when Mike went home that night.

"Donna, does she do tricks?" Mike asked, pulling at her legs.

"Not really, sweetie," she told him. "You can try to teach her though?" She suggested, thinking it would keep him entertained for a few hours. Mike was like a bulldog; when he got his teeth into a task, it was impossible for him to let go.

He quickly sat down in front of the dog, who was eagerly waiting to see what he was going to do. "Sit, Genie," he told her, pushing on her rear legs and trying to make her sit down. In response, the dog's tongue lolled out and she fell onto her back, displaying her stomach to be scratched.

Mike wasn't deterred, and all Donna heard for the next two hours were various commands.

"Mike, come get some food," she said, waving him over from where he was holding Genie's paw, trying to get her to shake on command. He sighed and got up, trudging over.

"She's not doing it," he huffed, climbing onto a seat and moodily starting to eat a sandwich.

"She's happier to play than to work," Donna informed him, smiling as the dog sneakily crawled over to Mike's chair, nuzzling at his leg with her nose. Mike glanced up at Donna and as soon as she turned away, he had pulled some vegetables off his plate and fed them to Genie.

"Mike," Donna said, her back to him. "That's your food, not hers."

"But Donna!" Mike whined. "I don't like carrot!"

"Yes you do," Donna informed him. "And you're going to eat it, unless you don't want me to tell Harvey how good you were today." Mike pouted but started eating his own food, only daring to give Genie some of his food when Donna was actually out of the room.

* * *

><p>When Harvey knocked on the door, he was prepared to get an earful from Donna - he hadn't had any missed calls, but he could just imagine the devastation Mike and a dog could cause.<p>

To his surprise, she opened it and looked completely at ease and calm. Banishing his sudden thought of Mike strung up in a cupboard somewhere, Harvey dared to give a small smile to test the waters.

"How's he been?"

"Fine," Donna replied cheerily. "He fell asleep about ten minutes ago - he's insisting that he doesn't need naps anymore."

Harvey snorted. "We tried that last week. He got about five time-outs in the same amount of minutes."

"Well I didn't tell him to nap - he just tired himself out," she explained, walking in and letting him follow. His eyebrows rose at the tidy house. There wasn't any sign that his little whirlwind of energy had been in here. He finally saw him though, asleep and curled up on the floor, sucking his thumb whilst clutching hold of the dog's ear.

Genie was curled up next to him, not seeming to mind the small boy laying half-on/half-off of her, and didn't even show any distaste when he tugged her ear slightly.

"And you were worried about them," Donna rolled her eyes, watching as Mike's leg kicked slightly in his sleep, causing the sleepy dog to glance down at him in confusion.

Harvey shrugged, carefully bringing his arms around Mike and managing to unhook him from around the dog. When the kid's head lolled against his shoulder, and he was sure that Mike was still out for the count, he turned back to Donna, speaking in a low voice.

"Thanks for looking after him."

"It's fine. I needed someone to entertain Genie."

Harvey smirked. "Don't think this means I'm getting a dog," he warned her. "I know you're conspiring with Mike to get one. It's not going to happen."

"But look at how precious they are!" Donna cooed. "How can you say no to that?"

"Easily," Harvey said cockily, carefully moving Mike so he could pick up the kid's bag. "Thanks," he whispered, tensing as Mike mumbled something and started to drool onto his shoulder.

"It's fine," Donna shrugged. "What are you doing with him tomorrow?"

"Nick," Harvey replied.

"Hasn't he got work?" She asked, looking puzzled, causing a matching emotion to show on Harvey's face.

"He told me he was off."

"Huh. He put on twitter that he was 'excited to take his nephew to work'."

"You follow him on twitter?"

"Is that really the point?"

"I'll call him tonight," Harvey muttered, eager to get back home and put Mike to bed in the hopes he would continue sleeping until the morning. "He didn't say he was working. Wait," he added, a thought occurring. "Which job?"

"He didn't say," Donna shrugged. "When is he babysitting?"

"All day."

"He'll probably be at the Stagger," Donna replied, to which Harvey growled to himself and then had to spend the next half an hour calming down a suddenly-woken and scare Mike before calling his brother.

* * *

><p><strong>Wednesday: Nick<br>(And a paleontologist, an entomologist and a bartender)**

"Relax; we'll have a great time! Right, munchkin?" Nick said, hoisting Mike onto his hip with one arm.

"And you're not going to take him into work?" Harvey double-checked, as he also checked that he had the right documents in his briefcase.

"Harvey, we'll be fine," Nick promise. "You're gonna be late if you don't leave soon. We'll have fun - we're going to the museum, aren't we squirt?" Mike nodded excitedly.

"We're going to look at the dinosaurs!" Mike informed Harvey, grinning.

"That sounds great, monkey," Harvey managed to spare a smile to the small boy. "Have fun. You know my cell number, right?" Mike rolled his eyes and tapped the side of his head to indicate his memory, causing Harvey to smile wider. "Alright. Bye, kiddo."

He ruffled Mike's hair and left, leaving Mike and Nick on their own.

"Okay, here's the plan," Nick said, beaming. "We're going to the museum to look at the dinosaurs, you're going to help me take a few pictures and then afterwards we can go out for lunch. Sound good?"

Mike nodded eagerly and pulled at Nick's shoulder from his position on the man's hip. "Can we go _now_?" He whined.

"Sure thing, kid," Nick nodded, grabbing the bag that Harvey insisted Mike (or whoever had been bribed into looking after him) drag around with him which housed spare clothes and things to keep the kid occupied. "Let's go. Oh," he added, a thought occurring to him. "Just... don't tell Harvey I'm working."

"What?"

* * *

><p>They arrived at the museum and Mike's attention was already on the large dinosaur skeleton in the main foyer of the large building.<p>

"Mike, don't run off without me!" Nick yelled as he watched the kid run around a corner.

"Morning, Nicholas." A thin woman with a pinched face turned to him, glasses perched on the tip of her nose studied him from her spot behind the front desk.

"Viola," he beamed, bounding over to her. "How's things?"

She sniffed. "Fine, before you arrived - and I'm assuming they'll be fine when you leave."

"Always the charmer," he winked at her. "Can I look on your security screens again? I just need - "

"Oh, no," she put her finger up to stop him. "Last time you wanted to check to see where your friend was in your giant game of hide and seek!"

"My 'friend' was the curator of the museum," he said, looking baffled. "And this is more important - "

"That's what you said about the bag of jelly beans you lost in the Incan exhibit!"

"Well, okay - I haven't used them wisely in the past, but my nephew - "

"The boy who ran away just now, into the dinosaur exhibit?" She sniffed again but glanced down at the screens in front of her, brushing off what Nick thought was probably cat hair off her ageing cardigan. "He's climbing on the velociraptor!" She cried out, standing up.

"Don't worry about it, I'll go get him," Nick told her, hoping she'd think she'd owe him one.

She sat back down moodily, glaring at him, sniffing again. "Why you get special treatment is beyond me," she muttered, typing something out on the computer. "You work part time in the gift shop!"

"And I get pictures for displays!" He argued. "That large print on the entirety of the wall you're scowling at? That's one of mine!" He pointed at it, before swivelling back to her. "And the gift shop is a very important part of the museum!"

"If you insist," she grumbled. "Are you going to get that young hooligan or not?"

Nick held his hands up in surrender. "Easy - I'm going to get him. He's only a kid, go easy on him."

"That's what the curator said about you," she said, glaring at him.

Nick shrugged. "I'm only human. Remember humans?" He threw over his shoulder as he walked away. "You used to be one."

He could swear he heard her laugh (ever so slightly) as he walked away.

* * *

><p>"Woah, woah, woah - Mike, come back!" Nick had found Mike - thankfully on the floor and no longer climbing on the exhibits. However, he had wandered into a darker room that involved moving dinosaur models and sounds. The T-Rex Mike had been in front of had suddenly roared, just as Nick grabbed his sides. He had been hoping to jokingly scare the kid, not cause him to nearly wet himself, squeak and run as far away as possible.<p>

"Mike, it's just me!" Nick yelled, trying to figure out where the kid would've gone.

"_Will the boy who just ran away from the idiot photographer who works here, please stay outside the Egyptian rooms until said idiot can find you."_ Like hearing the word of God, the bored voice echoed over the tannoy system. Nick looked over to where he knew there was a security camera and blew a kiss to it, before hurrying to the Egyptian side of the building.

"Mike, there you are!" He sighed, kneeling down and putting his hands on the kid's shoulders. "What did I say? Stay in my line of sight, munchkin - got it?"

Mike sniffled but nodded. "The dinosaur was really loud," he whispered.

"I know - it was a mean dinosaur," Nick nodded. "C'mon, squirt; I'm not working here today, so we can have a bit of fun. You wanna see more dino bones that we have behind the scenes?" Mike nodded, chewing on his thumb and letting himself get picked up and given a piggy-back through a door that said 'employees only'.

"Unca Nick," Mike said slowly as they wound down some corridors.

"Yeeees..." Nick replied, drawing the word out.

"You said you're not working here today."

"Kee-rect."

"So where _are _you working? You said we'd go out for lunch," Mike pouted, thinking that he'd go hungry for the rest of the day.

"Don't worry, squirtle, we're going out for lunch still," Nick promised. He didn't elaborate on his working hours and instead knocked on a door. "Woody!" He exclaimed, seeing a man with long hair bent over a microscope. He prodded himself in the eye with it as he jumped when Nick said his name, but blinked hurriedly a few times and was grinning at the man.

"Nick! Haven't seen you here in a while!"

"I've been busy," Nick told him. "I'm showing my nephew round - my big brother's got an important court case today," he explained (and Mike thought he could detect pride in that statement), "so I'm babysitting - alright," he quickly amended as Mike pinched him. "I'm big boy-sitting today. And he loves dinosaurs," he added, much to Woody's delight.

"Excellent! What's your name, kid?"

"Mike."

"Hey, Mike - I'm Mosswell Wood."

"Hi, Mr. Woody," Mike said politely. "What are you looking at in your mike-a-scope?" He stumbled over the word, much to his disdain and Nick quickly caught the kid's hand before it started rubbing at his mouth.

"Would you like to have a look?" The man asked, causing Mike to quickly try to scramble down off Nick's shoulders and get over to the microscope as fast as possible. Nick wandered over to it as well, slightly bored, although Mike was entranced.

"Hey, kiddo - I'm gonna take a few pictures of some new exhibits; you mind staying here?" He asked. Mike shook his head, gasping as Woody moved the small dial on the side of the microscope, and Mike was suddenly seeing all kinds of new things.

"Wait, Nick - I don't know anything about kids!" Woody said nervously, trying to stop Nick leaving.

"It's easy," Nick rolled his eyes. "Just show him cool things. Or... whatever it is you have. It's not very cool."

"He seems to think it is," Woody argued.

"Well he would, he's 4 - there's very little in the world he isn't amused by," Nick replied. "Just chill out - I won't be very long. Viola'll probably let me know somehow if something's gone drastically wrong, I swear she's just watching us over the security videos," he glanced over his shoulder before shaking his head. "I'll be no longer than half an hour. Alright?"

* * *

><p>Nick ended up taking a lot longer than half an hour, but when he got back to the room, ready to accept a crying Mike into his arms because of how much the kid missed him, he found the room empty. He sighed and left, checking in every other room he passed. Woody didn't get out of his lab much, there were a <em>very <em>limited number of places he could've gone.

He finally got to some of the entomologist's labs and heard an unusual amount of chatter. They were all pretty much recluses; stuck to simply looking at their bugs (or whatever it was they did). He poked his head through the door to find Woody and Mike laughing as a woman in a lab coat told them a story about her lab assistant.

"Hey guys," Nick said as he entered the room properly. "What's happening?"

"Miss. K was telling us that Doug fell over when he was trying to catch a butterfly!" Mike told him.

"Awesome," Nick smiled. "Miss... K?"

"He could not pronounce my name," she told him. "But then, he is only being 4, yes? My name is Keilantra," she told him.

"Nice to meet you," Nick smiled at her seductively. "I'm Nick - Mike's Uncle. I work here too."

"Yes, he is telling me about your photographs. I have seen them - they are very good," she smiled at him.

"Thanks - I like your name," he said. Mike rolled his eyes, being able to tell where this was going.

"Unca Nick - when is it lunch time?" He asked, kicking his heels slightly on the lab stool he was sitting on. "I wanna go now."

"You don't want to hear more of Miss K's stories?" He asked, looking slightly downtrodden.

"Nowwww!" Mike whined. "Please?" He added, quickly changing his tune in case he was put in time-out (He didn't think that Daddy would put him in time-outs if they weren't at home, but then he was swiftly proved wrong).

Nick sighed. "Okay, munchkin, we're leaving. Woody - thanks for looking after him. And as for _you_," he turned to Keilantra. "I will see _you _later," he doffed an imaginary cap at her and picked Mike up, leaving the room.

As soon as they were out of the room, Mike pulled at Nick's shoulder. "You were gone for _ages_!" He moaned. "And Mr. Woody smelt funny. Like our attic."

"He doesn't get out much," Nick told him, smirking. "Sorry, kiddo - c'mon, I'll take you to the best place in town for food."

* * *

><p>Mike's eyes widened as they approached their destination. "Unca Nick!" He gasped. "This is where you work! This is a <em>bar<em>!"

"Yeah, and it does food," Nick promised him. "So we get to stay here for a long time and you can eat whatever you want, _plus _dessert and it's all on the house. Sound good?"

Mike frowned. "Yeah, but you told Daddy you weren't working today."

"I'm not... _working_, exactly," Nick said as they entered the doors of the 'Stagger Inn'.

"Nick - you're late for your shift again!" A man's loud voice echoed from the other side of the bar.

"Unca Nick!" Mike whined.

"C'mon, Mike - you saying you don't want to play in this bar? You can even go where no one else is allowed; like you did at the museum, remember? In the back rooms!" Nick tried to make it sound as amazing as possible, and was glad that it seemed to be working. He put Mike down and walked over to the bar. "Mo - slight favour to ask..."

"Nick I have had _three _people call in sick today," the bartender sighed. "You _need _to cover, like it or not."

"But I'm in the middle of a very important favour I'm doing for my brother, and - "

"Where is he?" Mo sighed, glancing around the room.

"In court, which is why - "

"Not your brother, you idiot. The kid. Where's the kid?"

"Mr. Mo!" Mike's voice sounded from the other end of the bar, where he was trying to climb onto a bar stool. "Hi!" He grinned, having gotten to know Mo slightly when he and Harvey had been invited to the opening party for the Stagger. Nick introduced them to Mo, his boss/co-owner (Harvey secretly thought it was definitely his boss).

From the get-go Mike had Mo wrapped around his little finger. The man was getting to the stage of life where his kids had left and never looked back, and any grandchildren he had, he only saw occasionally. So as much as he muttered and grumbled about Mike being there - he actually loved it.

At least; this was Nick's theory.

In reality, Mo was already telling Mike off.

"No, kid - that is _not _a toy! Here, have some potato chips," the man threw him a bag from behind the bar to stop him trying to push the taps for the beers.

"You'll spoil his dinner," Nick warned from where he was casually leaning on the bar.

"Do I look like I give a damn? I'm not his dad."

"Well obviously," Nick said lightly. "But we were hoping to come to this fine establishment for food - but seeing as you're too _busy _to serve some poor, hungry people, maybe we should just take our custom elsewhere."

"Shut it," Mo grumbled, rolling his eyes. "You know where the tables and menus are. You get _one _course, and then you're either outta here or you do a shift and I don't charge you for the food."

"That _is _a tempting offer," Nick nodded, looking like he was mulling it over carefully. "What do you think, Mikey?"

"You promised I could have dessert too!"

"That's true," Nick nodded, turning puppy-dog eyes to Mo. "Can we have dessert too?"

"Only if you stay to work a shift."

"I have the kid to look after!"

"That ain't my problem."

"Mo..."

The man rolled his eyes. "One day, I'll actually say no to you - and then where would you be?"

"Homeless. And possibly dead in a ditch somewhere."

"Exactly. Get yourselves sat down," Mo muttered, grabbing Mike by the armpits and putting him on the floor next to the barstool so he could walk over to a table.

"Is Mr. Mo angry at you?" Mike asked Nick as he flipped over the menu to look at the children's selection.

"Nah," Nick said lightly. "He loves me too much. Mo!" He suddenly yelled. "What do I have to do for free garlic bread?"

The man at the bar pretended to throw a glass at him.

"We have free garlic bread," Nick confided into Mike.

* * *

><p>Their meal passed relatively quickly, with Nick occasionally either asking Mo for something more or just walking into the kitchen because he and Pedro (the chef) 'are, like, practically related'.<p>

The day wore on and to Nick's surprise, Mike didn't mind being stuck in the bar as Nick pretended he wasn't on shift. He started to colour in all the menus and when he finished with that, he took all the beermats and started hiding them in innocuous places as a 'game' for Mo.

He was even more surprised that Mo tolerated it. Nick had been relying on Mike to annoy the guy that much that Nick was kicked out until his next shift. It wasn't to be, and he heard Mo laughing - honest to god _laughing _at something the kid said.

As time wore on and more people appeared at the bar to be served, Nick realised that he would need someone to cover the shift he himself was supposed to be covering. As much as Mike was trying to be good, Nick knew (better than anyone) that it didn't always turn out right. The kid needed to be constantly entertained, and some of the bar's patrons weren't kid-friendly.

"Mo, I'm going to have to leave," Nick told him. "The kid's getting tired and cranky and you're not helping by giving him sugary drinks."

"Are you actually being responsible?" Mo asked, raising an eyebrow as he dried out a glass.

"What? I can be responsible!" Nick squawked indignantly.

"Boy, you started _encouraging _a bar fight last week!"

"They needed encouraging, did you see that guy's left hook? Pitiful." Mo gave him a pointed look and he rolled his eyes. "Okay - but can I leave soon? Any longer and Harvey will hang me off his balcony until the kid stops smelling of smoke and beer."

"Can't you get that brother of yours to come down here and get the kid?"

"I can't do that!" Nick gasped, pulling a drink for someone as he talked. "Then he'll know for definite that Mike was here!"

"It's up to you," Mo shrugged, giving a customer some change. "Either you do that or the kid stays in the back room til midnight."

"Mo..." Nick whined, pouting.

"Your choice," the man said, unwavering even in the midst of Nick's puppy-dog eyes - which the younger man found odd, because usually it was highly effective.

Finally though, he scowled. "I'll call Harvey," he muttered, wandering away from Mo like a child newly-reprimanded and made to apologise.

* * *

><p>"Remember our discussion, Nick?" Harvey asked loudly, holding a now sleeping Mike carefully. "About how you didn't have work?"<p>

"I _told _you," Nick pleaded, "it was a last minute thing. Mo didn't have anyone else. And Mike had fun."

"He's going to smell of bar gunge for the next week," Harvey grumbled.

"What, you're not gonna make him have a bath?"

"Now's not the time, Nicholas," Harvey growled, causing the younger man to stop talking, changing direction in the conversation.

"At least he had fun," Nick repeated. "And he didn't die - that's the whole point of babysitting, isn't it?"

Harvey glared at him again but hoisted the kid up slightly higher so he could grab the bag. "I suppose I should say thank you. And I shouldn't be asking this," he sighed, "but I need someone to look after him tomorrow as well."

"Again?"

"It's just until Saturday," Harvey promised. "Jessica's looking after him on Friday, I just need someone for tomorrow. If not you, I'll have to leave him with Hardman."

Nick's eyes bulged. "You're actually going to leave him with that guy?"

"There's no one else," Harvey sighed, patting Mike's back when the kid started mumbling in his sleep. "And he volunteered. I don't really have much choice - it's either Hardman or I just let him run amok in the firm. I'll be in court, Donna's visiting her sister; Jessica, Louis _and _Rachel are all busy..."

"Dude, that sucks," Nick said sympathetically. "But I'm already booked for tomorrow. They've got a big exhibit opening at the museum and I need to be there. And then Mo'll probably need help tomorrow as well. I mean, look at him," he waved over at the man who had an eyebrow raised. "Decrepit, exhausted, balding, wannabe biker... he needs _help_, Harv."

Harvey rolled his eyes. "Thanks for looking after Mike today," he said, quickly leaving as Nick was smacked upside the head by a disgruntled, 'decrepit' bartender.

* * *

><p><strong>Thursday: Hardman<strong>

The less said about this day the better.

* * *

><p><strong>Friday: Jessica<strong>

"Jessica," Mike said - as politely as possible. "Can I please leave now?"

The woman smiled behind the papers she was reading. "No. I don't think Harvey would like that very much, would he?"

"But I'm bored!" He moaned.

"Well I'm sure you are," she agreed with him. "But what on earth would you do outside of this office?"

Mike bit his lip, hard in thought, before shrugging. He had been hoping that Jessica would do something fun. He didn't know why - he had just assumed that she would do something better than anything Louis could have come up with.

"Can I help you with work?" He asked, climbing off the couch (clutching HB) and going up to her. "Please? I won't be in the way - I can help!"

She smiled at him indulgently. "I'm sure you can," she nodded at him. "But this is a really complicated case."

"Please?" Mike begged. "You can read out all the big words, and I'll understand them - I will! And I can 'member it all!"

"I know," she said, before thinking. Okay, Mike was now 4 - his previous life pretty much ashes and he couldn't read the 'big words' but... Maybe he could help? "If I read out this," she said, "will you listen carefully for anything that could get Miller Enterprises in trouble?"

She realised that she was talking to him as a toddler, even when offering him work, but it seemed to be effective and he nodded quickly, climbing onto her lap and gazing up at her, ready to begin.

She was halfway through when he stopped her, looking like he was thinking hard.

"Do you want me slow down?" She offered. "Or repeat anything?"

He shook his head, chewing on HB's ear as he thought.

"Mike?" She said, wondering if she was supposed to offer to take him to the bathroom or give him food.

"If Miller declared the amount of money, it would be there on the contract, wouldn't it?" He asked. "But it didn't say how much he'd give 'em. So that means he can just give them whatever he wants, doesn't it? He could give 'em a dollar and say it's what the contract wants. Right?"

Jessica's eyebrow rose and she glanced back through the papers, skimming until she found the section that Mike had been talking about. She turned to smile at him. "Thank you," she said gracefully, moving to put him on the floor whilst she herself stood up. "I'm going to call Miller and his lawyer down here. I need you to be very good," she specified, "and quiet for this meeting."

"I tried that when Daddy had a meeting," he told her. "But Mr. Cohen was mean and squashed HB," he pouted.

"I'm sure Mr. Miller and his lawyer will do their best not to squash HB," she comforted. "But for that to be a certainty, I need you to sit nicely in the corner and colour in. Can you do that?"

Mike tilted his head. This didn't sound like she wanted him to just 'colour in'. This sounded like she wanted him to do something more.

* * *

><p>"Would you like to explain to me again <em>exactly <em>what you thought you were writing down in the contract?" Jessica asked, happy that Mr. Miller was sweating and looking over at his lawyer. Rookie mistakes.

"I was just... I was... Look, can you get that kid out of here?" He asked, pointing at Mike. "He keeps looking at me."

"He's just a child," Jessica shrugged. "I can't control what he looks at," With that she turned to Mike. "Are you alright?"

Mike nodded, keeping his eyes on Mr. Miller. He felt important - he felt like a _lawyer_ and was eagerly making notes.

Well - it was questionable how much you could call them 'notes'.

It was something that - by Harvey's standards - could be stuck on the fridge as a sign of artistic talent.

"Mr. Miller - you know it's easier to just confess what you did. An amendment can be made and then it's no harm, no foul."

"And if I say no?" The man asked, too cocky for his predicament - and Jessica could see his lawyer was muttering angrily in his ear. She didn't fret, however - just raised an eyebrow and walked over to where Mike was, picking him up and placing him in front of Mr. Miller.

"Look into this kid's eyes and tell me you don't want to do the right thing," she dared him. Upon hearing this, the man started spluttering, whilst Mike blinked quickly, making his eyes wide and teary. He managed a small whimper and the man immediately broke.

"Damn it! Fine, okay - I did it, I'll change it, just... get that kid out of here!"

Jessica patted Mike on the head and he hopped from the chair she had sat him on, going back to what he now decided was, in fact, colouring.

* * *

><p>"Hey, monkey," Harvey said, as Mike rushed into his office at the end of the day. "Did you have fun with Jessica?"<p>

"I got to do work!" He exclaimed brightly, throwing his belongings on Harvey's couch so that he could quickly scramble onto what was definitely his all-time favourite resting spot. Harvey helped him get balanced on his lap before he started talking again.

"Yeah? What did you do?"

Mike started describing how Jessica had read the case to him, and how he helped her fix it - using over the top hand gestures, and speaking so quickly in his excitement that he kept mispronouncing words and lisping. Harvey just nodded throughout, smiling whenever Mike looked to him for a reaction.

"Busy day then, huh?"

"Yep! Can the daycare be closed all the time?"

Harvey nearly choked.

He had barely survived this week.

And most of his reliable babysitters were suddenly being struck with weird illnesses whenever he asked for a favour now.

Oh well.

More time for him.

* * *

><p><strong>AN You guys - I want to apologise for this chapter; my muse hasn't been with me for a good while, and because I had NOTHING planned for this chapter, it went all over the place and I didn't know what to write in parts. Hopefully the next chapter will be a lot better because I have a plot and there will be angst and death and shiz like that.**

**But yeah - I hope you enjoyed this chapter regardless, and I'm sorry again for the lateness of it :)**


	24. Bulletproof

**A/N Hi guys, thanks for all the reviews and support I've gotten :D This chapter was originally going to be the previous one. However, due to obvious events I withheld it. I still think it needs to be in this story, though - so apologies to anyone affected by it's contents. **

**Oh, and I'm afraid that the next chapter is also the last chapter. Hopefully it'll be good, and I hope you enjoy it when it comes :)**

**WARNINGS: hostage situation/office shooting**

**Mike's Age: 5**

* * *

><p>Mike's breathing became shallow as he wedged himself as far into the small cupboard as he could. His back was resting on something sharp but he managed to stop himself from whimpering, lest the man find him. Footsteps came closer to the cupboard and Mike held his breath, putting his hands over his mouth and biting down on his palms so he wouldn't make a sound.<p>

He saw the shadow on the floor, pass by the cupboard and breathed out slowly, before giving a small squeak and clapping a hand to his mouth. His eyes widened and he froze when the shadow reappeared in front of the closed door. He kept his hands to his mouth and could only watch, helpless, as the cupboard door was opened.

A pair of hands grabbed him and pulled him out.

He shrieked with laughter.

"Daddy, stop!" He yelled, as Harvey started tickling him. He tried to squirm away but was firmly caught in the man's grasp.

"So I think it's safe to say that I win," Harvey observed, grinning at Mike's escape attempts. "What's that now... 17 to 3?"

"4!" Mike insisted, getting his breath back. "That time I hid in the lobby! You didn't find me for hours!"

"And _that's _because you broke one of the rules," Harvey reminded him, righting the kid and setting him down on the floor. "Why else do you think I have to lock the door whenever we play hide and seek?" Mike shrugged innocently as he looked up at Harvey, causing the man to snort. "Okay, kiddo - I'm going to get dressed and then - "

"You're going to Lauren's," Mike ended the sentence for him, his happy mood gone and his mouth quickly contorted into a frown.

"No," Harvey shook his head. "Actually - I need to talk to you about that." Mike tilted his head, intrigued. "I probably won't see Lauren again. But if you want to see her or Alex, just say. I won't be angry."

"I don't want to see them again!" Mike said, looking confused. "I don't _ever _want to see them again! Is it just going to be us now? Can I get his stickers off the board?" Without waiting for a reply, Mike scrambled up and over to his board, standing on his tip toes to erase any signs of Alex from his board. "Daddy, can you get the top ones?"

Harvey blinked. "I thought you liked Lauren and Alex?" Mike gave him a very clear _look_ that Harvey just _knew _the kid had learnt off him. "Alright," Harvey said, slightly confused, but nevertheless helped him clear the board of any lasting memories of Alex. Harvey tried to feel slight remorse because he believed the older boy was a good kid, but the fact that both of them just seemed so... unconcerned when Mike went missing... And that Lauren had just _left _like that, because she probably just didn't want to deal with the drama - probably wanted to get her beauty sleep.

Harvey generally went for very smart women. Lauren had clearly not been that smart if she was under the impression that it wasn't a very serious issue that Mike had disappeared. But he had made a promise. A very important one - one that defined any relationships for years to come. If any woman didn't understand that Harvey was more than willing to put his son first... they wouldn't last very long in his life, at all.

That's not to say he wouldn't make sacrifices. If it was over small things; if Mike didn't want to meet the woman, Harvey would make allowances and build up to a meeting. If Mike had an argument with the woman and had a childish sulk then Harvey wouldn't kick her out. It was just big things.

Like if Mike ran away and the woman in question went home to leave Harvey to deal with it alone.

Mike 'sneakily' put an extra star on his side of the board (something Harvey generously pretended not to see) and started bouncing around Harvey - even happier now he knew that Harvey's attention would be back on him singularly.

"So what are we doing after you get changed?" Mike asked, following Harvey to his bedroom. "Are you going to work?"

"I have to go into work tomorrow for a deposition," Harvey explained to him. "But right now, I think we've nearly ran out of food. So we're going shopping."

Mike pouted. "Shopping's boring."

Harvey sighed. "I know. But you'll get food out of it, so it's not all that bad." He ruffled Mike's hair. "Go watch TV or something while I get changed, alright?" Mike nodded, grabbing HB as Harvey closed the door.

"Can I go to work with you tomorrow?" Mike shouted, deciding that in lieu of the TV, he would just sit outside Harvey's door. "Please?"

"I'm deposing someone, Mike," he heard from behind the door. "You can't sit in with me."

"I know!" Mike protested. "But I can still come to the firm, right? I can be quiet! I can sit in your office, or... or I can go see Louis! I can do lots of things while you aren't there."

"Yeah, but we both know that 'lots of things'," Harvey said, as he opened the door, pulling a jacket on, "doesn't necessarily mean _good _things, does it?"

Mike pouted at this. "Please?" He begged, pulling at Harvey's hand for emphasis. "I'll be _really _good?"

Harvey sighed. "Fine," he acquiesced. "But you have to be good, alright? And remember," he said, gesturing around the room to indicate what they'd just been playing. "Hide and Seek stays at home. Got it?"

Mike nodded.

* * *

><p>"Stay here, buddy," Harvey said to Mike, leaving his office to go to his deposition. "And be good."<p>

"I will be," Mike scowled, slightly.

"Don't give me that face," Harvey rolled his eyes. "You don't want another time-out, do you?"

"But I didn't do anything the first time!" Mike told him, kicking his legs angrily.

"Hey," Harvey said warningly, pointing at the swinging appendages. "Stop. I'm going to be gone for half an hour. Got it? Maybe more. Behave."

Mike stuck his tongue out (he had gotten up far too early and was now too tired to be happy that he got his wish to go to the firm) at Harvey but quickly regretted it as the man frowned and walked back over to him, grabbing his hand to take him back to the corner.

"No, I'm sorry!" Mike said hurriedly, even as they advanced towards the dreaded corner. "Sorry, Daddy!"

"Too late, Mike," Harvey told him, sitting him down on the stool. "You sit here for ten minutes. Alright?" He turned to set their small timer but froze when Mike's foot impacted with his leg. He turned back around to see that Mike's eyes had widened. "Mike I have _had _it with you kicking out as soon as you're not happy with something," Harvey said firmly, changing the number on the timer.

"Daddy!"

"Twenty minutes, Mike," Harvey said. "I'm disappointed in you, kid. When we get home you're changing straight into your pyjamas and going to bed. No TV, no story." He quickly set the timer and left the room before Mike's wobbling lips and watery eyes stopped him. Donna's impressed nod meant that he had dealt with the situation accordingly, which pleased him slightly.

He still felt bad about it, but the kid had to learn.

It wasn't even that the kid was spoilt. Sure, there were times Harvey could probably afford to be a bit stricter, but Mike knew right from wrong, he knew how to share (when he wanted to - he _was _still only 5, after all). The only thing he may have been having trouble understanding was that Harvey did have to interact with other people besides Mike. And he couldn't give the kid positive reinforcement all the time - hence the time-outs.

Still, Harvey was confident that as soon as his meeting was over, the kid would run over to him and look up at him like he hung the moon.

* * *

><p>Mike was finally off the time-out stool. He glared at it with particular hatred and climbed onto Harvey's chair at his desk, swinging it happily. He pressed a key on Harvey's laptop and grinned when he found that it was logged in. He had once sent an email (accidentally) to one of Harvey's clients, and since then had been banned from going near the laptop.<p>

Sometimes, if he asked nicely, Harvey would let him go on the Angry Birds game, or use some other, kid-friendly programmes, which kept him quiet - for a while, at least. Mike clicked on Harvey's spotify and found the playlist that Harvey had created for him when he desperately wanted _something _to entertain the kid. It was full of Disney songs, other songs from kid's films and songs that Mike just liked.

He chanced a glance at Donna, who seemed to know what he was up to but didn't do anything to stop him. She usually took the opinion of, 'as long as there are parental locks on the internet and he can't access the emails, then it's fine'.

He was halfway through a very tense game of minesweeper and the song 'You've Got A Friend In Me' was playing in the background, when he first heard it. There was a loud bang, causing him to jump and the chair to spin. He leant over slightly to see that Donna was gone from her post. He shrugged and went back to his game.

* * *

><p>"Mr. Carlisle, don't you agree that it's plausible you - mistakenly - wrote the wrong date on that contract?" Harvey asked the man sitting opposite him. "I mean, you've already admitted that you were late to this meeting because you'd written down the wrong time," he pressed.<p>

The man opened his mouth shakily, but before he could say anything, there was a bang somewhere out in the corridor. Harvey frowned and looked out of the glass, to see if he could catch a glimpse of whatever it was that made the sound.

"Mr. Specter," Mr. Carlisle's lawyer said, slightly nervously. "I don't suppose that was - "

An associate ran past, looking like he'd just seen a ghost. Harvey stood up, his phone in his hand. Suddenly, he got an email on it. He wasn't going to look, more concerned with what the hell was happening, but he just happened to glance down and saw it was from Jessica, sent to every single person who worked at the firm. His eyes widened at the 'URGENT' subject title and paled as he scrolled down, reading what she had written.

_We have a gunman loose in the building. Everyone needs to stay calm until the armed response has cleared every floor. Lock yourselves in any room possible, and stay as quiet as possible._

It was short and succinct and for a second Harvey had time to praise her on it. "Gentlemen, we need to cut this short," he said, turning to Mr. Carlisle and his lawyer. "Ms. Pearson has just alerted us of a gunman in the building. We need to - " He was cut off, as Mr. Carlisle rose to his feet with a gasp.

"What?" He exclaimed. "A gunman? Here? You did this on purpose!" He pointed at Harvey, his eyes wide. "You planned this?"

"Henry," the man's lawyer soothed him, looking over at Harvey. "I'm sorry - he's had trouble with paranoia ever since this whole thing started." Mr. Carlisle started inching towards the door, going to open it. "Henry, we should stay here," he lawyer said firmly.

"It's a room with glass walls, Tobias!" He cried out. "We'll die if we stay in here! God, even a child could figure that out!"

Harvey was about to whole-heartedly agree with Mr. Carlisle when he realised what the man just said.

_Even a child..._

A wave of horror swept through him, and he was pretty sure he had gone the whitest shade a living person could become.

Mike.

Numb hands scrambled for his phone and he had to restart twice as he input the wrong number. Eventually, he was calling his office phone, praying that Donna had already taken Mike somewhere safe.

"What are you doing?" Tobias asked warily.

Harvey shook his head, going deathly still as the phone was answered.

_"Hello? This isn't my phone, but if you wanna leave a message, I'll make sure Daddy gets it."_

"Mike?" Harvey choked out.

_"Daddy!" _Mike answered happily. _"Has your meeting finished yet? Can I come see you?"_

"No!" Harvey said hastily, before realising he didn't want to frighten the kid. "Buddy, I'm gonna need you to... to..." He tried to rack his brains, thinking of what Mike could do. As much as he wanted Mike with him, he knew that he wouldn't be able to risk Mike running down the corridor when this gunman could be anywhere. The safest place would be in his office. But where?

"Mikey, you know how I always say that Hide and Seek is only for home?" He said, his voice wavering.

_"Uh-huh."_

"Okay, well how about just for today, we play?" There was an excited gasp down the other end.

_"Really?"_

"Yeah - is Donna at her desk? Maybe she'd like to play..." He waited, holding his breath.

_"Nope. She's been gone for ages,"_ Mike whined. Terror struck Harvey, worried that she'd been found and...

"Okay, monkey - how about you hide somewhere in Daddy's office, okay?" Harvey said, scanning the corridor outside. There was a small file room that was seldom used that they might be able to get to if they were quick about it. "And then I'll come find you."

_"Okay!" _Mike chirped happily. _"And then do I get to find you?"_

"Yeah, kiddo," Harvey said quietly. "And afterwards we'll even go get ice cream. How's that sound?"

_"Awesome! Can I hide now?"_

Harvey nodded, before realising that Mike would need an actual answer. "Yeah, buddy. But you have to hide _really _well - you got that? Hide so that not even Donna would be able to find you." Mike giggled. "Put the phone down and go hide, alright?"

_"Okay, Daddy."_

"I love you, Mikey," he quickly blurted out.

_"Love you too, Daddy," _Mike said, sounding slightly puzzled. _"Start counting!"_

"1... 2... 3..." Harvey whispered, until the phone was put down. "God _dammit_!" He yelled knocking the camera they had used for the deposition off the table in his anger. He tried to calm himself down but it was impossible. He just wanted Mike safe and in his arms.

"Maybe we should try to find somewhere to hide," Tobias suggested weakly.

Harvey yanked the door of the office open and strode towards the cupboard opposite them, walking inside. The two men quickly followed and sat in an awkward silence as Harvey lock the door from the inside and tried to pace in the tiny room.

"You have a kid?" Tobias said, trying to start conversation.

Harvey nodded darkly. "A little boy," he replied. "He wanted to come to work with me today. He's sitting in my office now, thinking it's just a game and that any minute now I'm going to come in and find him."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Tobias soothed. "The guy's probably been caught already and they're just a bit slow on giving the all clear."

That was when the light went out.

* * *

><p>Mike was trying to muffle his giggles with his hands as he peered out from underneath one of the chairs in Harvey's office. He patted himself on the back when it came to the geniusness (which he was sure was a word) of his hiding spot. Daddy wouldn't find him for ages!<p>

It was odd that he was suddenly allowed to play Hide and Seek now, but he hadn't questioned it - just in case Harvey then changed his mind.

He was just trying to find a more comfortable position with his elbows when all the lights went off. This wouldn't have bothered Mike so much if it wasn't already heading towards dusk. It would be dark soon and he didn't want to be stuck underneath a chair on his own in a pitch black room.

He wanted to crawl out from underneath the chair and go find Harvey - or Donna; he still had no idea where she saw. But Harvey had told him to hide really well.

But then it was just a game... And Daddy was always telling him not to take games too seriously.

He sighed and wriggled out from underneath the chair, going around the desk and standing on the tips of his toes to reach the phone. He called the number he knew off by heart and waited for it to be answered.

_"Hello_?"

Huh. That was weird. He sounded like he was trying to be really quiet. Probably trying to make it sound like he wasn't there, so that Mike wouldn't be able to guess when he would find him.

"Hi, Daddy."

_"Mikey? What are you doing? I thought we were playing Hide and Seek?"_

"But you're taking forever!" Mike whined. "And all the lights went out!"

_"I know they did, buddy - can we just play for a little longer?"_ Daddy sounded like he did before bath time. _"I just need you to be really quiet and stay hidden. Alright?"_

Mike huffed. "Alright, but I'm bored." He glanced over out the window as he saw some people run past, followed by an angry looking man. "People look really busy," he told Harvey. "They're running past your office. Are you sure I can't come find _you _now?"

_"Mike, I need you to hide for me, buddy."_ That urgency was back, and Mike frowned.

"But there's a man outside," he explained. "He looks like he's sad. He must be here to see you - when are you coming back?"

_"Oh God... Mikey - go back to hide, now. _Please."

Mike sighed. "Alright." He was about to put the phone down when the man outside came in.

"What is a kid doing in here?" He said, almost purring, and before Mike could back away, the guy grabbed him, delicately stroking his face with the barrel of a gun.

* * *

><p>Harvey tried to gasp for air as he heard the receiver thump down at Mike's end, after just about hearing a man talk to his son. "Mike? Mike!" He shoved his phone in his pocket and yanked the door open, causing Tobias to put a hand on his upper arm.<p>

"Are you mad? You're going to get us all killed!"

"Better me than him," Harvey growled, storming down the corridor, and getting wide-eyed looks from people in various places of hiding. He found himself stopping dead as he came to a different corridor. There was blood everywhere. There were bodies. Actual, real life (_death_) bodies and Harvey felt bile rising in his throat. He probably knew these people. Worked with them on a day-to-day basis - had contact with them. And now here they were. Just empty shells.

But he had to keep moving.

If there was the tiniest chance in the world that he could get Mike out of his office then he would do anything possible to make it happen.

He managed to make his way through the corridor, praying that when _(if)_ he got Mike out, the kid wouldn't have seen any of this.

"Harvey!" A whispered cry flew out from behind a desk and he stopped, turning to see that Donna was crouching, looking around the counter.

"Donna what are you doing? Are you okay? Why weren't you with Mike?" Harvey asked, finding to his horror tears already starting to surface.

"I had to see another assistant - this is her desk," she explained. "I'm so sorry, Harvey," he voice cracked. "I wanted to go back to get him but we were being told to stay down. I wish I'd... I should've..."

"It's okay," he said blankly, looking dazed. "You were... you're safe." With that he started down the corridor again.

"Harvey you need to stay hidden!" She pleaded, tears running down her face. She was terrified - for herself and for her boys. Mike probably didn't even know what was happening. He was probably sitting in Harvey's office nervously, wondering why the lights weren't working, and wondering when his Daddy was coming back.

Harvey finally found himself outside his office, staring in through the windows, his face aghast. Mike was sitting on the floor by the gunman's feet, his eyes closed but with tears dribbling out, shuddering whenever the man brushed against Mike's skull with his gun.

Harvey wanted to rush in and kill the man. He'd never before wanted to do something so badly - he was actually looking for something to use before a certain level of common sense kicked in. He would be doing _nothing _to help Mike. The guy's gun was close to his son's brain - if the guy got spooked...

Instead, Harvey just walked slowly over to where he knew the man would be able to see him. The guy's eyebrows rose and he waved the gun as a hello. Harvey leant over Donna's desk and pressed the intercom button.

"Let him go."

The man smirked behind the glass. "Or what? You'll sue me? It's not like that hasn't happened before."

"You're a client here?"

"I'm being sued by the client of here," the man said.

"What's your name?" Harvey asked. If he could get a bit more information about the guy, then maybe he could use some sort of lever and get Mike out of there.

"Jack," the man replied. "And you?"

"Why should I tell you?" Jack pressed the gun harder to Mike's temple and Harvey reached out to window. "Alright, alright! Harvey."

"Harvey Specter, right?" Jack sneered, looking at his name on the door. "And this little cherub is?"

"Just leave him alone," Harvey said - begged, even.

"No, this is fun! Answer the question, Specter! Who's the kid?"

"My son."

Jack laughed, looking delighted. "This is great! The day I decide I want to kill all the lawyers here, and get away scot-free - and you let me take the best kind of shield of all!" He yanked Mike upwards and sat him on his knee. The boy started to squirm, trying to get away but squeaked when Jack pointed the gun at Harvey, and quickly sat deathly still, his eyes looking straight at Harvey's.

Harvey opened the door - Jack hadn't even locked it.

"Don't come any closer!" The man yelled, his gun swapping from pointing towards Harvey and staying on Mike.

"Okay," Harvey put his hands up. "Look, you're obviously here for a reason, and it's not to kill an innocent little boy. Let him go."

"Daddy?" Mike murmured, his voice wobbling.

"It's okay, buddy," Harvey croaked, quickly brushing some tears off his own face. "Look at me - look at Daddy, kiddo - You're going to be fine," he gave a weak smile to Mike. Mike tried to smile back, but gave a little whimper as the gun brushed near his cheeks.

"You know the ironic thing?" Jack said, grinning as he watched it all play out. "I'm here because my wife took my little boy off me. She's getting someone _here _to sue for custody."

"So you think _this _will solve it?"

Jack laughed. "Oh I know it won't solve it. But if I die then all of my money gets left to my boy - and it's money I've inherited that I can't touch. Suicide does nothing to help him."

"Neither does suicide by cop."

"Well we'll just have to see, won't we?" Jack grinned at him. "You've got a cute kid," he complimented, sniffing Mike's hair and grinning at Harvey.

"Don't touch him," Harvey spat. "Don't you dare touch him."

"Or you'll do what?" Jack snorted. Harvey stepped forwards and Jack held the gun up. "Ah, ah, ah," he warned. "Take any more steps and it'll be worse than just this." With that, he hit the gun off Mike's head. Harvey didn't realise there was any sound in the world that would make him hate himself more than the sound that came out of Mike's mouth.

"Daddy," he whimpered, kicking his feet and rubbing at his head where Harvey could see a bruise already forming. "Make it better!"

"I will, monkey," Harvey promised, wondering what the hell to do. His breathing was ragged and shallow, and he didn't like the way that Mike's was speeding up. "For God's sake, just let him go," Harvey begged - past the stage of trying to keep his dignity. "He's done nothing - what would you do, if you found out someone did this to your son?"

Jack didn't reply, and just ruffled Mike's hair. Harvey felt a gag rise in his throat.

"Let me go," Mike whined. "I want Daddy..."

"Daddy's right here," Harvey tried to soothe. "It's okay, buddy - we're going to go home soon, alright?"

Mike gave a sniff and nod, his lips wobbling erratically. "Pwomise?"

"Promise," Harvey nodded. "Jack - just let him go. Can't you see how scared he is? Think what your son - "

"Stop talking about my son!" The man yelled, brandishing the gun and causing Mike to squeak, holding his arms out in vain, hoping Harvey could just sweep him away. Harvey went to move forward but yet again Jack pressed the gun to Mike's temple, his finger squeezing the trigger. Suddenly, however, he stopped, looking disgusted and pushed Mike off his lap.

"The little bastard pissed on me!"

Mike yelped as he hit the floor, crying and breathing hard, looking like he couldn't care less that his five year old bladder had relaxed under the terror.

"He's just a kid!" Harvey argued. "He can't help it!"

Mike tried to crawl over to Harvey, sobbing.

"Oh no you don't, kid!" Jack snarled, pointing his gun at the small boy.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang and Harvey felt his heart stop, fearing the worst. Glass shattered near him and he leapt for Mike, pulling him in close and covering him with his whole body.

"Subject down!"

Harvey looked around to find that armed police were suddenly swarming the room. "Sir, are you alright?" One of the asked urgently. He nodded, dazed, and suddenly remembered the shaking little ball in his arms.

"Mike?" He opened his arms and pulled Mike's face up so he could look at it. "Are you alright? You're not hurt?" Mike shook his head, trying to take big gulps of air. Harvey ran his shaking fingers through Mike's hair before pulling him close. "It's okay, buddy... it's okay - you're alright. It's going to be okay..."

"Daddy," Mike managed to gasp out, causing Harvey to stiffen. They had only had to use it once or twice, but now Harvey feverishly trying to remember where the inhaler was in his office.

"Okay, Mikey - remember the breathing exercises? Come on, breathe with me, buddy - in and out... got it? You're doing great, kiddo - keep going." He breathed with Mike in large, deep breathes - not wanting to move and try to find the inhaler. Thankfully, Mike's breathing soon slowed down, and now the boy was simply crying (although Harvey would never call Mike crying, 'simply') and wailing, pulling at Harvey and burying his face in the man's chest and neck.

"I know, buddy," he tried to soothe. "I know... but you're alright..."

"Sorry," Mike whimpered, between sobs.

"What for?"

"I had an accident," he sniffled, rubbing at his eyes and wiping his nose on Harvey's suit jacket.

"Aw, buddy," Harvey started rocking him, pushing the kid's head further into his shoulder so he wouldn't see the paramedics zipping up the body bag and wheeling it past them. "It's okay - it happens; you were really brave today," he cooed. "And you only got a bit scared."

"I was _really _scared," Mike whimpered. "But you saved me."

Harvey wished he could take the credit for saving his little boy. But he couldn't. Truth be told, he didn't know who it was that alerted the cops to their location, and he didn't know who had decided to take the fatal shot.

"Sir?" A paramedic approached. "Are you alright?"

Harvey nodded. "We're both fine... Wait," he suddenly added. "No, that... that _animal_," he spat, "hit my son on the head with his..." he floundered, not wanting to say the word gun - it would make it too real, imply that Mike had a gun pointed to his head (Harvey was happy pretending it had never happened).

That paramedic nodded in understanding and knelt down next to him, allowing Harvey to shush the small boy and brush the kid's hair back so that the EMT could get a closer look at the darkening bruise.

"Is he going to be okay?" Harvey asked quietly, rocking the five-year old gently and cooing promises of treats if he let the nice man look at his head.

"Mike, how do you feel?" The EMT asked gently (and Harvey realised he had to find out who had called for the police and ambulances, and who had told them Mike's name). Mike sniffed and shrugged. "That's an impressive bruise you have there," he continued. "Does it hurt?"

Mike nodded miserably.

"Alright - anything else? Do you feel sick?"

"A little."

"Dizzy?"

Mike shook his head, laying it down on Harvey's shoulder again. The paramedic nodded. "You'll be fine," he decreed, looking over at Harvey. "If he complains about the pain, give him some Tylenol but apart from that, there's not a lot you can do except wait for it to subside."

Harvey bit his lip but nodded, furious at the man who put Mike through this. He was thankful, of course - it could have been a _lot _worse. All Mike had was a headache and wet pants.

Speaking of, he needed to get the kid home, dry, warm and safe. "How about we go home, buddy?" He suggested. "We can both get changed into our pyjamas and I'll even spring for take-out."

"You don't like wearing your pyjamas when it's not bed time," Mike reminding him quietly, tugging on his shirt collar.

"I'm feeling like I want to be comfortable today," Harvey replied, giving Mike a small smile. "What do you say?" The boy nodded and Harvey gently ruffled his hair, letting him get off his lap so that Harvey could stand up and walk out. He took a tight hold of the kid's hand and pulled him close as they went to leave.

"Oh thank god!" He heard Donna shriek, looking over and seeing worried bystanders stood behind a swiftly made police cordon. "Harvey! Are you alright? Mikey, baby - are you okay?"

"Donna!" Mike said quietly, pulling on Harvey's hand to make sure that they went over.

"Oh, sweetie - are you alright? Did that man hurt you?" She asked, fire in her eyes, positively growling. Mike shook his head, his thumb going towards his mouth. Thankfully, Donna always assumed it was just when he was upset that he now did that, but Harvey knew better. The kid stopped sucking his thumb when he was about 4, but sometimes did it - yes when he was upset, but also when he was lying to someone he cared about.

Sometimes it was so he could get away with it - like that time he said he didn't know _how _the bottle of bubbles fell in the bath, causing them it to overflow with foam, and he put his thumb in his mouth, looking up at Harvey with wide eyes, as if he couldn't believe that Harvey would even _think _about suggesting he had done such a thing.

Other times it was because he felt guilty, and had to take his worry out on his thumb. He chewed rather than sucked, casting his eyes downwards so he wouldn't have to look into their eyes.

It was definitely the second one this time, his hair had hidden the bruise and he was hiding that part of his head by resting it on Harvey's hip. Harvey knew that if Donna ever found out Mike had lied about it so he wouldn't worry her, she would sweep him into a hug and possibly never let him go.

"I called the police as soon as you left," she told Harvey. "And told them where you would be and where the gunman would be. They got a SWAT team of some sort in and as soon as they had the guy in their sights they got this little barricade up," she said, clearly unimpressed as she gestured towards the tape in place, splitting the corridor. "They were going to send in a negotiator but then one of them took the shot. We didn't know what was happening," she admitted, her voice wobbling. "They weren't telling us anything and we weren't allowed past. And then they wheeled the bag out and... and we still didn't know." A tear tracked down her cheek. "I thought it was you," she told him.

Harvey reached out slowly and took her hand. He wasn't very good at comforting people (only Mike) and wasn't sure what he should say. His presence seemed to be enough, however, and she soon took a deep breath in and wiped away her tears.

"Donna?" Mike questioned, worried.

"I'm fine," she smiled. "And Harvey, I was thinking about the changes you need to make in your will. If such a thing were to happen before Mike got to 18, I expect it all to be left to him, but for me to able to do with any of it what I think is right in regards to Mike's well-being."

Harvey blinked. "Can we talk about this later?"

She nodded. "It was just a passing thought - I'll come by tomorrow to see you both," she promised, reaching over the cordoned off area to kiss Mike on the head. "I'll see you later, sweetie."

The boy nodded and turned to leave with Harvey, only for a police officer to stop them. "Sir, we need your statement. We listened to your conversation through the intercom, but is there anything else you can tell us?"

Harvey sighed, knowing from his career experience that statements took time. He had a tired, upset little boy that just wanted to curl up on the couch with his Daddy and watch Doctor Who. "Can this please wait until tomorrow?" He asked.

"Mr. Specter, please - I understand this is stressful and not the best time, but we need to get this done."

Harvey sighed but leant slightly closer, dropping his voice lest Mike hear him. "My son wet himself he was that scared. I need to get him cleaned up and give him painkillers for the hit on the head."

The officer sighed, but nodded, waving them on through the flurry of activity.

* * *

><p>As soon as they got home, Harvey took Mike straight to the bathroom, running a hot bath and adding extra bubbles, forraging for as many bath toys as he could find and dumping them all into the tub, much to Mike's delight.<p>

He stayed in the room as Mike sat in the bath, not wanting to leave the kid alone.

Not after today.

He felt the small curdle in his stomach as he realised how much guilt he was feeling. If he had been more stern and told Mike he wasn't going into work with the older man today - if he hadn't left Mike on his own in his office...

"Daddy?"

He was pulled from his thoughts, "Yeah, baby monkey?"

Mike's face scrunched up adorably at the nickname before continuing. "I don't want my hair washed tonight."

Harvey opened his mouth, remembering watching Jack sniff Mike's hair, and stroke it occasionally - he wanted any last reminder of the man gone. But then he realised that Mike would be thinking the same thing. But he wouldn't be able to bear it to be touched again. Not after today.

"Okay," Harvey conceded. "But this is a one-off, understand?" He asked. "Next time you have a bath, I'm washing your hair."

Mike pouted but nodded in agreement, holding up a rubber duck to peck Harvey's nose slightly.

* * *

><p>Mike was curling up closer and closer to Harvey throughout their time spent on the couch. Harvey had an actual selection of Doctor Who episodes that he could pick out that would cause Mike to giggle, or to smile at. He usually used the newer episodes, but sometimes they watched some classic, black and white ones too, and Mike would laugh at the 'monsters'.<p>

Mike started sniffing towards the end of an episode, before crawling onto Harvey's lap, closing his eyes.

"Time for bed," Harvey said quietly.

Mike shook his head vehemently. "I'm not tired," he insisted.

"Does your head still hurt?" Harvey asked worriedly.

Mike shook his head again. "I'm... I'm still scared," he admitted in a whisper, hiding his face in Harvey's neck in shame.

"Oh, buddy," Harvey sighed, rubbing his back. "It's okay... I am as well."

Mike pulled his head up, his eyes wide. "You are? But you're _never _scared!"

Harvey chuckled and rocked the five year old slightly. "I was today. It's alright - I thought you were very brave," he told the boy.

"No I wasn't," Mike sniffed. "I cried. And had an accident."

"You're only five," Harvey reminded him, bouncing his knee slightly. "I'm very proud of how brave you were."

"But you tried to get me away from him!" Mike reminded him. "But when he wanted to hurt _you_, I didn't do anything!"

"Mike you did more than enough," Harvey assured him. "I don't want you _ever _risking yourself for me. Got it? You did exactly the right thing today, I promise you."

Mike shrugged. "I didn't like him touching me," he whispered.

Harvey went very, _very_ still. "What do you mean, buddy?" He asked in a strained way. How long had that man been alone with Mike before he himself got there?

"When he grabbed my arm, and made me sit on his lap, I'm five, I don't need to sit on anyone's lap!" He whined, before blushing as Harvey looked down at him with a smirk. "Just yours," Mike mumbled. "And he kept touching my face. I didn't like it."

Now slightly more relieved as he had been there when Jack made Mike sit on his lap and knew there wasn't anything unsavoury about it (apart from the obvious).

God, if that bastard had hurt his son in one of the worst possible ways, Harvey didn't think he could be stopped. He would go to the morgue and rip his limbs off with his bare hands, almost wishing they hadn't killed him.

"I know you were scared," Harvey told him. "And you know I was. But there's nothing wrong with crying because of it."

"I'm a big boy," Mike mumbled. "Only babies cry."

"Shall I let you in on a little secret?" Harvey said, whispering it to make it sound more exciting. Mike nodded and gazed up at him. "I cried."

Mike gasped. "No you didn't! You don't cry!"

"Well I did today," he replied, repeating what he had said in regards to being scared. "I was really scared that he would hurt you and that I wouldn't be able to do anything."

"I wanted to come find you," Mike murmured, and Harvey realised that these admissions - on top of an exhausting (both physically and mentally) day - had worn Mike out, and he would soon be asleep. "But I knew you'd come find me. You wouldn't leave me on my own."

"Of course I wouldn't," Harvey promised. "You know I'll always come find you."

"'M tired," Mike whispered.

"Go to sleep," Harvey said in a hushed voice, muting the TV and readying himself to stand up and carry Mike to his bed - intending on them both sharing the double bed; there was no way he would allow Mike to sleep on his own tonight. "I'll be right there."

"Nightmares..."

"You won't have them, buddy," Harvey promised him. "I'll be right there to get rid of them."

Mike looked at him, blinking slowly and gazing up with heavy eyelids. "But who'll get rid of yours?"

Harvey was struck with a sudden rush of emotion. If this had been 3 years earlier, he would have been shocked by himself. But it was an almost common day occurrence to feel so much love around Mike now.

"You'll be there, right next to me," Harvey said. "So I guess you'll get rid of mine."

Mike grinned dopily, and Harvey could see how much effort he was putting into staying conscious.

"Just sleep, baby monkey," Harvey murmured, kissing the bruise on his head softly. "Just fall asleep. We're both here, and that's all that matters." Mike nodded before he let his eyes drift close. Harvey carefully stood up, turning various lights off as he headed towards his bedroom. He got Mike settled onto the bed before getting in himself, pulling the kid close and feeling his small hands instantly grab tight to Harvey's sleep shirt.

To keep himself safe and grounded?

Or to ensure Harvey was safe?

He didn't know, but clung onto Mike just as tightly.

* * *

><p>Harvey had nightmares on and off throughout the night, and it always started the way. He was walking through the corridor - his various colleagues dead on the floor. He slipped on blood as he waved through them, trying to get to his office to save Mike. But the corridor was never ending, and he found himself constantly slipping, landing on people and scrambling up, yelling for Mike.<p>

He finally found him.

His was one of the bodies Harvey slipped on.

Every time Harvey jerked awake, there was always a few seconds of pure terror and he scrabbled about before calming as he found Mike huddled in the sheets next to him. Harvey would then slowly regulate his breathing before lying back down, curling himself around the small boy.

One time he woke Mike up with his startled awakening. Mike wriggled up and frowned, before pulling Harvey into a hug and patting his hair, trying to copy what the older man did whenever Mike himself needed comforting.

"It's okay," Mike murmured to him softly.

"I know," Harvey breathed, rocking him slightly. "I know..."

* * *

><p>They woke late, and Harvey found himself just lounging around the flat, not wanting to do much and just listing from one room to another aimlessly. As much as he tried to encourage Mike to play or do something else, the kid just clung to him, following him wherever he went.<p>

"But I want to do stuff with _you_!" Mike had wailed, even though he had rejected all of Harvey's ideas of things to do. It seemed like he really didn't care what they did, as long as he was near the older man.

Harvey had finally suggested leaving the condo - something he originally hadn't wanted to do, as he was still wary of various people in the streets, irrationally terrified someone else was going to steal Mike and hold him hostage. It seemed Mike was the same; he stuck close to Harvey, holding his hand and moving in as close as possible when anyone walked by.

The thing was, Harvey would usually suggest that they go to the firm - that was usually something he could rely on to keep Mike occupied and not as attached to him. But obviously they couldn't go there. Not now. And although Harvey had told the police he would give his statement, he also had no desire to do that.

For lack of something better to do, he went on a long walk with Mike, getting to Central Park and slowly meandering through. There weren't many people there, so Harvey felt more comfortable, and he could feel Mike relaxing too. He couldn't as of yet get Mike to play on the play equipment, but he felt that he was slowly drawing him out of his small, shocked shell, finding that the kid was perfectly content sitting on the swings as long as Harvey pushed him.

"Daddy," Mike said as they left the play park and were winding their way down a path surrounded by large, leafy trees.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry about yesterday," Mike frowned, worrying his lip.

"What? Buddy you have _nothing _to apologise for, haven't I already told you that?" Harvey sighed.

"But you told me to go hide," Mike whined, pulling on his hand. "You told me to play hide and seek and I didn't, and it got me in trouble."

"Mike - you didn't know what was happening," Harvey explained patiently. "You didn't know how important it was; you thought we were just playing like we always do. If anything, it's my fault."

"No it's not!" Mike insisted, stamping his foot.

"You're both as bad as each other."

Harvey whirled around at the voice and his eyebrows both rose up. "Louis?" He smirked at the sight of the other man. "What are you wearing?"

Louis wrinkled his face. "What do you mean? I'll have you know this is the finest Gucci running gear that money can buy."

"You don't run," Harvey snorted.

"Yes I do!" Louis defended himself, looking affronted. Mike giggled slightly but looked happy to see him (even if he was clad in a hideous luminescent green tracksuit along with a sweatband).

"Hi, Louis," he grinned. "Did you see what happened yesterday?"

The man nodded, his face grim. "It started near my office. Did you see outside of it?" Mike shook his head. "It was awful, there was so much - "

"I don't think a five year old needs to know what it looked like, thank you, Louis," Harvey hastily interrupted, putting his hand on Mike's head. "C'mon, kiddo - say goodbye to Louis - it's getting cold and you're not wearing nearly enough layers."

Mike frowned. "But you promised I could have ice cream! The van's only down there!" He pointed down the road where there was indeed an ice cream van parked up. Louis, possibly seeing a small window for him to become (if just for one second) more beloved than Harvey, pulled out a few dollar bills from the bag around his waist and gave them to the boy.

"Here - go get your ice cream."

Mike's face lit up. "Thanks, Louis!" He ran to the ice cream van quickly, not wanting Harvey to stop him buying it.

"You'll spoil his dinner," Harvey muttered, watching after the kid thoughtfully. "You know," he added, seeing Mike go to the back of the queue. "This is the first time he's actually left my side." He suddenly looked back at Louis, suspicious. "You planned this, didn't you?" He asked. "You knew that he'd be taking it hard, and you wanted to distract him with something."

Louis blinked, completely unaware of any of this. Still, it sounded like an opportunity for Harvey to owe him one - and that was never a bad thing when Mike was growing up and getting more talkative, annoying, knowledgeable and less cute, because it meant he could use this as an excuse not to babysit.

"You caught me," he shrugged. "Although come on, I have a reputation to maintain," he sniffed and glanced at Mike, as if he really couldn't care less, causing Harvey to grin and shake his head.

"I need to get back to the walking mouth," Harvey told him, nodding over to Mike (even if the kid's nerves of kidnap were gone, they were still alive in Harvey's mind). Louis nodded, stretching enthusiastically as some young women jogged past. "Thanks, Louis," he said - thinking maybe the other man hadn't heard. Thankfully, he only gave a nod to acknowledge it, looking like he was itching to run with the women.

Harvey rolled his eyes. "Go get 'em, Don Juan."

Louis was about to set off before turning back. "You know there's no reason worrying about him all the time after this," he pointed out. "You keep the kid close he'll just hate you for it later in life. Trust me, I know." Harvey nodded. "And he's a smart kid, if you coddle him he'll think it's patronising and let's be honest - if anything happens to him in his life, it wouldn't be prevented by you staying by his side every minute of the day."

When he realised he'd actually given Harvey some meaningful advice, he quickly jogged away, hoping that Harvey would remember this next time _he _needed a favour. Harvey started walking to Mike, realising that it wasn't as fast or harried as it would have been earlier on that day if Mike had ran off.

He gave a small chuckle.

Guess he would owe Louis something after all.

* * *

><p>"It's okay, buddy - just take in a deep breath... that's it... Oh you're doing so good," Harvey cooed, praising Mike as he rubbed his back, his face slowly becoming less pale as Mike's breathing slowly started to even out. Over the past few days he had been having asthma attacks - quite severe ones too - which was really worrying Harvey, because he hadn't known that Mike had ever had asthma until he turned 4, and he started wheezing.<p>

When Harvey had taken him to the doctors (in an alarmed way that resulted in him trying to sue at least 3 nurses and a doctor) he found out Mike should be using an inhaler whenever he needed to. Thankfully, his breathing calmed down and it didn't seem like he ever had to use it. Harvey had it at the back of his mind for a year and kept various inhalers around the place but it was only now that he needed to remember where he kept them.

Mike had woken up from what Harvey presumed to be a nightmare, breathing deeply and far too quickly. Soon he was panting and pulling at Harvey's elbow in a panic. Harvey snapped to attention and pulled an inhaler from the drawer of his bedside table and helped calm the kid down.

However, it now seemed that it was happening whenever he was suddenly surprised or shocked, which had Harvey torn between googling it, asking Donna or going back to the doctors. Thankfully, it seemed to be calming down, and it was now only sudden waking from nightmares that did it, rather than something as mundane as the toaster popping up.

"That's right... good boy..." Harvey praised. "Good boy..."

Mike sniffed and clutched at Harvey, even as his breathing became normal again.

"What was it this time?" Harvey asked softly. There had been a multitude of nightmares (between the both of them) and he didn't think they'd have anything new. They'd each covered a range of terrible things in their imaginations, so he didn't think it could get worse.

"Shot you," Mike mumbled. He'd had this nightmare the most. It was never himself he was worried about, it was only ever Harvey. It touched the older man, and he knew that - in reality or dreams - he would take a bullet for Mike a hundred times or more. But he just wished Mike would stop having nightmares.

"It's not real," Harvey soothed, stroking down his hair, telling him exactly what he said every time Mike woke up.

"I know," Mike sniffed. "Still scary."

"I know it is," Harvey nodded. "But it'll get better, kiddo, really. How about this, alright? Every time you have a nightmare, just remember that Daddy could easily beat that guy. I'll be in your dream, and I'll save you. I promise."

Mike sniffed again. "I don't think you can. It's my dream."

"So you can tell it what to do," Harvey said, tapping his nose. "And the sooner you do that, the sooner you get good sleep. And when you've slept the whole night through, you can go back to school."

Mike brightened. He loved going to school - he was soon going to be put into a much higher class, but for now he enjoyed being with kids his own age, even though the work was the easiest thing he'd ever seen before. But he liked being able to play instead of studying. Although that mean that he couldn't spend all day with Daddy, like he was doing now.

"I'll miss you though," he mumbled, saddened by this realisation.

"No you won't," Harvey told him. "I'll be at the firm. Or here. And I'll meet you from school," he promised. "You'll have fun."

"I know," Mike pouted. "But I like it being us."

"So do I," Harvey agreed. "But sometimes it's nice to get out and see other people. Do you want to try going to school next week?"

Mike bit his lip but nodded. He wasn't sure what he was hesitant about. The first day or two he was petrified of leaving Harvey's side, but now he could do it easily. However, he still didn't particularly like not being in the same area as him. What if something happened again?

"I'll call your teacher," Harvey told him, "so he knows when you're coming back."

Mike nodded and absent-mindedly traced a random pattern on Harvey's top. "Do I have to take my inhaler with me?"

"Yep."

"But I don't like it," Mike scrunched up his face. "It doesn't taste good."

"No it doesn't," Harvey agreed, who'd had the delight of having to use it first to show Mike that it was fine. "But it helps you. You use it whenever you feel you have to. Alright? Mike?" He added, when Mike didn't respond. He got an annoyed grunt in reply and smirked.

"C'mon, champ," Harvey sat up, pulling Mike with him. "We can get dressed and go to the firm, and then - "

"No," Mike shook his head, pulling at Harvey, before blushing. "I don't want to go to the firm," he mumbled.

"Why not, buddy?" Harvey asked softly, kneeling down and taking Mike's shoulders in his hands gently.

"'Cause it might happen again," Mike whispered. "I don't wanna go in case it happens again."

He was already getting upset so Harvey let it slide, wondering if Mike would get over it. He had been getting a lot better - Harvey prayed that Mike agreeing to go back to school was a step in the right direction.

* * *

><p>"Hey, kiddo," Harvey said, smiling as Mike ran to him when he caught sight of him in the school yard. "How was your day?"<p>

"It was good," Mike enthused. "They read a book I haven't read before, can we read it tonight? I asked, and I was allowed to take it home for a week."

"Sounds good," Harvey nodded, taking the kid's bag and shouldering it before taking his hand. "Anything else happen?"

"We were told about Stranger Danger," Mike told him, in a slightly strangled voice.

"Oh?" Harvey replied softly.

"Mhmm," Mike nodded. "And I told the police officer what happened before."

"That's good," Harvey encouraged him, rubbing the top of his hand with his thumb.

"And you know what he said?" Mike asked, yanking on his hand. "He said that I should be really proud, because I was really calm and mature. And he said that I was... was a... a _paragon,_" he said slowly (and Harvey knew his memory wasn't as good if someone just said something rather than if he read it, and that it was tricky word for a 5 year old), "of virtue and that you should be really proud as well."

"I am," Harvey assured him. "Not a day goes by that I don't feel proud - especially for that." Mike beamed at him.

"And I know you could beat that guy in a fight," Mike told him, bouncing slightly. "And I could too. He wasn't that scary," Mike decided. "Remember some guy you once had in court?" He questioned. "He was scary. He had weird eyes."

"He had a medical condition that meant his eyes focussed on different things."

"It was scary."

Harvey bit back a laugh. "Alright, kiddo," Harvey nodded. "Now - how do you fancy maybe stopping by the firm for a minute or two to see Donna?" He held his breath, wondering what Mike would do.

"I wanna see Donna!" He said delightedly, causing Harvey to sigh in relief and deflate slightly. "Can I help with work? Do you have new windows yet? Because Louis was saying your new windows aren't as good as the last ones, and I wanna see them."

Harvey laughed and grabbed Mike's other hand, swinging him around slightly.

"Daddy!" He squealed delightedly, giggling when Harvey put him back down.

The man was just so relieved that Mike seemed okay with talking about it now - and the fact that it was now okay with him to go to the firm... Harvey had never been more glad.

"Have I ever told you how lucky I am to have you?" He asked seriously.

"Uh-huh," Mike nodded. "All the time." He grinned impishly. "I don't mind having you here either, I guess," Mike told him, grinning.

"Is that a fact?" Harvey asked, managing to scoop him up and dangle him upside down.

They'd be okay. Sure, there would be a hell of a lot more nightmares, some more scares (even though Harvey would try his damnedest not to let that happen) and Harvey knew that somewhere down the line Donna would accuse him of causing the kid to need therapy but... they were doing good.

They'd be okay.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Not as much angst as I wanted to be honest - I think my angst-meter is broken XD But yes - please review and tell me what you thought, and also if you have any last requests for anything you want to happen tell me now. It's the last chapter next and I want to try my best to please you all and round it all off well :)**

**Oh, and Nick now has a twitter account, the link to which is on my profile XD **


	25. Forever Young

**A/N (This may be quite lengthy, I apologise) You guys... we've reached the end of a series that I've enjoyed writing SO much. You don't know just how much every single reader/reviewer/follower/favouriteer (which is now a word) means to me. The amount of times I've gotten people saying that they wish this wouldn't end, that it's kind of their fluffy story that they can read if they're upset (apart from a few chapters lmao) - I really am touched.**

**I hope that this chapter is a good last chapter, and that you'll enjoy anymore works I manage to write in between work and uni :P And I just want to say some really quick thankyou's to _Rae7788_ - who has kept me entertained with her daily pms and has helped me to overcome writer's block many a time - who is now a very good friend and who will hopefully love this last chapter - thanks Rach! And _CuppaChar_, who has been infinitely supportive and has kicked my muse into gear a few times. As well as that, she's written a beautiful sequel of sorts to 'Crayons', which I absolutely adore her for :3 **

**Anywho, that's about it - I think it's about time we went to the last chapter, don't you?**

* * *

><p><em>And when you finally fly away, <em>  
><em>I'll be hoping that I served you well,<em>  
><em>For all the wisdom of a lifetime, <em>  
><em>No one can ever tell.<em>

_But whatever road you choose, _  
><em>I'm right behind you, win or lose... <em>  
><em>Forever young, forever young...<em>

- 'Forever Young', Rod Stewart -

* * *

><p>"Grandpa!" Two voices yelled happily as they made their way into the house. Their father walked behind them, rolling his eyes as they very soon disappeared out of his sight. He could hear in the very centre of the house laughter as the children had no doubt found their grandfather and were probably being given a very warm welcome.<p>

When the father walked into the room, he groaned as he saw the grandfather sitting in an armchair, a gleam in his eye as he held a large scrapbook in his hands. When he saw his son's face, he smirked and opened it.

The younger man tried to take it off him, but the children clamoured to see it.

"Grandpa promised that he'd show us!"

Their father sighed but sat down opposite, pouting at his own father who smirked yet again and brought the children closer so that they could see what was in it.

* * *

><p><em>"This was your Dad's plane ticket when we went on our first vacation. He was 3, and he was absolutely terrified.."<em>

* * *

><p>"Harvey, you haven't packed everything!" Mike whined, coming into the living room where Harvey was trying <em>not <em>to panic as he tried to find Mike's passport. He had pulled some strings and gotten one very quickly for this last-minute 'vacation'. A long-term client (and also long-term friend) had been very appreciative of his work and very happy for him when he found out that Harvey now had a kid, so he gave Harvey two tickets to Disneyland for a week.

So this had called for some very hastily vacation plans to be made, and Harvey was surprised he actually had the full support of Jessica.

"This is brand new to you, Harvey," she told him. "You need time to adjust, and not while you're trying to juggle work."

He had been incredibly grateful, and then he just had to get flights booked, Mike's passport ordered (he'd had to pull _many _strings to get it to arrive on time), and had to somehow coordinate with both Donna and Mike regarding the kind of suitcase he wanted. Donna was trying to get Harvey to buy one that was small, cute and colourful. Mike had begged him not to buy it. Eventually, the kid just had a small black one (remarkably similar to the one Harvey had in full-size), although he pouted when he realised that he couldn't pull it behind him because he was too small, even for the small suitcase.

Harvey had said that he would be in charge of packing. Donna had booked flights, hotels - everything it seemed; he wanted to be in control of _something _for this vacation. So he had put various articles of clothing in the small suitcase, planning for cold, hot, wet, dry, snowy, windy or even foggy weather. And now he was convinced he had lost Mike's passport and was worriedly rifling through every single thing he could find.

"Mike, now's not the best time," Harvey told him, wiping some sweat from his brow (vacations were hard work).

"Yes it is!" Mike stamped his foot. "You've only put clothes in! What about HB?"

"You don't want to sleep with him tonight?" Harvey asked, pulling up the couch cushions in his search.

"Well... yeah..." Mike twisted his fingers. "What about my blanket?"

"You can't sleep without it," Harvey reminded him. "And we aren't leaving until tomorrow."

"Well... what about my cup?" He whined.

When he first moved in with Harvey, Donna had bought 'essentials', which happened to include all kinds of small-kid furniture and necessities. She had bought a sippy-cup, that was bright blue and had (bizarrely, for a children's cup) a motif of ties on it. Mike had immediately turned his nose up at it but after a while... he started to use it. And soon Harvey learnt that he had a problem trying to get the kid to drink without it.

"Like I'd risk dehydration when we're supposed to be on vacation," Harvey snorted. "There's room in my suitcase for it tomorrow morning when you've had breakfast."

"Books? DVD's?" Mike asked, knowing there should be more in his suitcase. All he could see was clothes.

"My suitcase for most of them," Harvey replied, now looking under the coffee table. "I didn't know which ones you'd want. Anyway, you won't have time for books and DVD's at Disneyland."

"For bedtime," Mike whined. "And on the plane."

"You'll be asleep on the plane," Harvey muttered, deciding to just give in and call Donna, before finding the passport in his jacket pocket.

"Will not," Mike replied. "I've never been on a plane before."

"It's not that exciting," Harvey replied, placing the passport very carefully in the centre of the table so he wouldn't lose it again. He finally breathed out and turned to see Mike standing in front of him in his pyjamas and with a frown on his face. "You okay, kid?" Mike nodded, chewing on his lip. Harvey sighed and scooped him up, not surprised when the kid just slung his arms around Harvey's neck and rested his head on the man's shoulder.

"I thought you'd be more excited than this," Harvey told him, rubbing his back and checking the clock. Mike should have been in bed an hour ago.

"I am," Mike mumbled. "I wanna go to Disneyland."

"Well then what's up?"

"Don't wanna go on the plane," Mike confessed, chewing on his thumb.

"Planes are fun, Mike," Harvey said weakly, hoping there would be no other passengers in first class to hear the cries of a frightened toddler.

"But they're just big, metal things held up in the air by their engines!" Mike cried out. "What if we crash? What if all the oxygen goes out of it?"

Harvey laughed, before quickly trying to compose himself. "Trust me, Mike - we'll be fine."

**XxXxXxXxXxX**

Harvey thought they _would_ be fine, until they got to the terminal. He had hoped that Mike would be just too overwhelmed with how big and crowded everything was and would just be entertained by everything. Instead, he shrunk back against Harvey and tried to hold his hand when the man was pulling two suitcases with him. Harvey tried to encourage him to look at the airplanes landing but Mike just pretended to be interested in something else.

At first Harvey put it down to tiredness - they _were _up early to get the plane - and thought that Mike could just sleep through the roughly 4 hour flight to California.

When they got on the actual plane though, Mike clamoured to be picked up, and hid his face in Harvey's shoulder. Even when the steward working in first class smiled at him and offered to show him where the pilots were, Mike still only peeked out shyly and shook his head. Harvey gave an apologetic smile as he sat down on his seat, trying to get Mike to climb off him and onto his own seat.

"Mike, you have to sit there for take-off," Harvey told him sternly, sighing as the kid just whined and struggled against Harvey as the older man held him still and strapped his belt on. "Just for take-off, alright? When the sign lights up that we can take our belts off, you can get up. Okay?"

Mike pouted but nodded, sucking his thumb and giving small whimpers every so often. Harvey reached over and managed to wrap his arm around Mike's small shoulders. "What's wrong, kid?"

Mike snivelled and shrugged. He didn't even know what was scaring him so much. It was probably just that he'd never been on a plane before as it was, but for him to then to be small and for the plane to be even bigger... not to mention that if they crashed he would be obliterated into a thousand pieces.

Nothing more was said, and after the various safety demonstrations (which did nothing to improve Mike's confidence) the plane engines started up and the roar felt almost deafening to Mike's small ears. He whimpered and wriggled in his seat, trying to crawl onto Harvey's lap as the plane started moving. The belt stopped him from moving anywhere and he was soon working up to hysterics as the plane got faster.

"Mike, you need to relax," Harvey soothed him, glancing around and being incredibly thankful that no one else has booked a first class ticket on their flight. "It'll be fine - we'll be in the air soon and you'll see it's fine."

Mike snuffled and kept his thumb in his mouth, sucking hard when his ears started to pop. He chanced a glance out of the window and felt his mouth tremble as they took off from the ground. When the plane was finally balanced and up in the air, Mike had to admit he could barely feel a thing. But as soon as the light for seatbelts turned off, and Harvey automatically undid his, Mike shot off his seat and crawled onto his lap.

"It's okay..." Harvey said soothingly, rubbing his back. "Don't you want to look out the window?" He asked. "We're above the clouds."

Mike's lips wobbled again, and he shook his head.

"Hey, guys - would either of you like a drink?" The steward asked (And Harvey wanted to tip the guy, he didn't seem put off by Mike's cries at all).

"Not right now, thanks," Harvey answered. "Mike?"

The toddler shrugged.

"Hey, buddy - you're not scared of the plane, are you?" He asked. "It's just like a flying car," he continued.

Mike's face popped out from Harvey's shoulder slightly, and Harvey quickly nodded for the man to go on.

"Have you ever seen Back To The Future?" The steward (whose name badge declared he was Christopher) asked, ready to explain the movie because he doubted the three year old had seen it. To his surprise, Mike nodded. "Well - just think of it like the time machine. That could fly, and I bet you'd love to go for a fly in that, right?"

Mike nodded, his grip slowly loosening on Harvey.

"Well then what are you worried about?" Christopher laughed. "What are you going to be doing in California?"

"Disneyland," Mike whispered.

Christopher gave an over-the-top gasp of delight. "Aren't you lucky? Now how can you be scared of this thing if it's taking you to Disneyland?"

Harvey glanced down at the toddler, who looked to be thinking hard. Eventually he gave a shrug and very slowly crept off Harvey's lap, taking small steps towards the window. When he looked out he froze, but finally started relaxing, eventually having his face pressed against the window as he looked out.

"I'll leave you two for a while - if you need anything, just press the button," Christopher told Harvey, before quickly leaving.

"Harvey, you gotta see this! We're so high up!" Mike said, bouncing where he stood.

"I'll look if you agree to go to the bathroom first," Harvey said, standing up. Mike looked around and frowned.

"Why?"

"Because the last time I saw you moving like that, I had to pay my cleaner extra for the carpet," Harvey deadpanned, taking Mike's hand and pulling the kid over to the toilets.

**XxXxXxXxXxX**

The rest of the ride passed without incident. Mike became completely at ease and won the hearts of all the stewards and stewardesses working on the flight. He even got to meet the pilots and demanded to know how everything worked. He eventually fell asleep and started drooling on Harvey's shoulder for the last hour of the journey. He woke up just in time for them to land, and Harvey thought he would probably have scars on the backs of his hands where Mike had dug his nails in as they began their descent.

Thankfully, the descent didn't stay too long in his mind, as on their way back from their vacation, he bounced all over the place and asked if Harvey could buy a jet.

* * *

><p><em>"And that's a picture of when we were actually <em>at _Disneyland, and - "  
>"Grandpa, what's that one?"<br>"That? That's the apology note I made an associate write after trying to play a joke on your Dad. He was 19, and he'd only been working at the firm for a few months."_

* * *

><p>Mike was juggling a large stack of files. It was just after everyone was getting back from their lunch breaks, and Mike's stomach was rumbling slightly. He'd had such a busy case load that he just hadn't had time - no doubt one of the other associates would tell Harvey as soon as possible, rather than risk getting their asses handed to them by the managing partner for not picking up on the fact.<p>

He promised himself he would go get some food soon. He just had to take these files to their respective senior partner.

"Hey, Mike," Aaron said as he himself got back from lunch. "You alright?"

Mike nodded. "Just busy. When I get these to Louis though, I'll have about a half hour free, so it's not all bad," he quirked a smile in the other associate's direction.

"Which gives you time to do my work as well, right?" Aaron joked (at least, Mike _hoped _he was joking). Mike was about to reply, when another associate strolled down the corridor.

"Mike," Josh said, smirking at him. "Your hands are looking full right now. Want some help?"

"I got it," Mike said warily, moving back slightly from the older man. Josh had never been particularly nice to him before, and Mike didn't want to find out why he had suddenly taken the opportunity to help out.

"You sure? You don't look like you can handle all those files," he sneered.

"And you don't look like you can handle your girlfriend... least not the way _she _tells it," Mike bit back, smirking when he saw Josh frown for a second. Aaron stood in the background, not sure whether to help the teen or let him fight his own battle.

"Childish comebacks from a child," Josh said, shrugging. "And I offered to help. Guess it's just your own fault."

Mike was about to question what he meant, but the other associate suddenly swiped at his leg with his foot. Mike twisted as he tried to remain standing, and resolutely clung onto the files in his arms, which only worked against him as a trolley stacked with various office supplies being pushed by a very old and half-blind employee appeared behind him. Mike fell face first onto the cart, his arm bending and squashing between his body and the side of the cart. He continued to fall, going over with the sturdy cart and crashing over it, his already painful arm twisting unbearably as he did so, still trying to keep a tight clutch of the files.

"Oh my god, Josh - what the hell did you do?" Aaron asked, looking aghast as Mike groaned and tried to pull himself away from the small wreck. The employee who had been pushing the supplies cart squinted at the damage, and began fussing, eventually just being sent away to stand at the sidelines by Aaron.

"It was funny," Josh shrugged. "And he's alright - aren't you, Mikey?"

Mike whimpered and closed his eyes, trying not to let any tears fall. It just felt like he was in the ninth circle of Hell with his arm - any movement was agony and his head went fuzzy and dizzy at the sheer pain.

"Mike?" Aaron said carefully. "Are you okay?"

Mike shook his head, eyes still firmly closed, pulling in painful breaths.

"Mike?" Even Josh sounded concerned. Someone put their hand on his shoulder and he gasped, breathing in more and trying to push them away - which just hurt _more _and he was soon panicking, the gasps of pain not working with his shallow breathing. He knew he was having some kind of bizarre asthma/panic attack and he also knew exactly who he needed in this instance.

He sounded a wheezy sob and tried to choke out words, but they were lost on the other associates, and the crowd of bystanders that soon began to build up, craning their necks to see what had happened.

"Mike?" Aaron said again, kneeling and being very careful not to touch him. "I can't hear you - speak slower."

"'M... 'm Dad..." He choked out.

"Yeah, right away - uh..." He looked around, completely at a loss. "Somebody go get Mr. Specter! Tell him that Mike's hurt himself and he's breathing funny as well!" Several people darted away from the crowd, and Aaron looked back at Josh. "Why did you do that?"

"I thought... it was just going to be funny!" The other man tried to defend himself, going pale. "I thought he'd just fall into the supply cart. No harm, no foul."

"He had an armful of files and nothing to help his balance and stop him falling!" Aaron argued, trying to put a comforting hand _somewhere _on Mike, but the entirety of his arm looked instantly like a no-go area. It looked... _wrong_, even someone without a medical degree could see that. And Mike wasn't even trying to move it. He still breathed in too quickly and too sharply, and he just kicked his legs, his heels scraping the floor to bring any kind of release.

"Don't worry, Mike," Aaron said. "Mr. Specter - I... I mean your Dad... he'll be here soon." He looked around, trying to think of anything to help. He was trying to keep the teen calm, but if even the reassurance that his father would be there soon didn't help, then he didn't know what would.

Just as he was thinking of going through lamaze breathing with him, he soon felt relief flood through him as he heard the managing partner's voice coming down the corridor.

"Get out of the way!" Harvey snapped, breaking through the crowd and taking in the scene of Mike sitting against a wall by a fallen supplies cart, his arm lying oddly at his side and his breathing way too fast.

"Mr. Specter, I - " Aaron was about to say something, but Harvey just went over and knelt down on the other side of Mike, carefully putting his hand on the teen's head.

"It's alright, kiddo - you're going to be fine." He took out an inhaler from his pocket and shook it, taking the cap off and resting it on Mike's lips. The teen tried to push it away but Harvey held it there until his lips opened. "Ready?" Harvey asked, waiting for a second before pressing down the top, and doing it a second time before removing it and putting it to one side.

"Breathe with me, Mike - just like we've done an endless amount of times before - okay?" Harvey breathed deeply and his hand had soon moved to Mike's shoulder, his thumb gently making small circles on Mike's jawline.

"Dad... it - it hurts," he gasped, wheezing slightly but soon his breathing was less laboured.

"I know it does," Harvey said softly. "I know... but Donna's called for an ambulance, they'll get here soon, alright?"

"Didn't... need to - call for one yet," Mike informed him, panting quickly in succession and scaring Harvey to death (again) before his breathing smoothed out slightly again. "Didn't even... know what was - was wrong with me..."

"An associate said that you were breathing weirdly and had hurt yourself," Harvey said, checking Mike's pulse with one hand whilst the other continuously made comforting circles on his neck and shoulder. "You know I like to check after an asthma attack, regardless how minor."

Mike nodded before wincing, giving an alarmed cry. "_Shit_ - Dad, please do something, anything," he begged, moaning when he tried to grab at Harvey. "My arm, please... it really hurts," he whimpered.

"I can't do anything, Mikey," Harvey whispered to him, uncaring of who could see as he leant forward slightly and pressed a kiss in Mike's hair. "But it'll be fine soon - I promise. They'll give you some good drugs at the hospital."

"Don't wanna go..." Mike gasped.

"Tough," Harvey replied, eyeing Mike's arm as if it had killed his own mother. "That is not what an arm is supposed to look like. Odds are, you've dislocated your shoulder."

"But... my arm," he gasped again. "That hurts too..." He rubbed at his chest with his good arm, as if trying to combat the laboured breathing.

"It doesn't look good," Harvey admitted. "But they can fix that too." Harvey realised that there was a good chance Mike's arm was broken as well as dislocated, which could mean surgery depending on how bad the break was.

"Can't… you… fix it?" Mike asked, breathing sharply through his teeth. "'Cause it kinda hurts," he said, trying to smile weakly.

"I know it does," Harvey nodded. "But it'll mend." He was trying to toe the line between boss and father, and knew he wasn't doing a very good job. He'd already kissed the kid's forehead and helped him breathe. Trying to distance himself by giving cold and cutting replies weren't going to do much. And Mike needed the comfort.

"Okay, kid – how about we try to stand up?" He suggested, going for Mike's uninjured side. He took a gentle hold of the younger man's elbow. "Ready?"

"Nope," Mike squeaked. "I'm very not ready," he rushed, eyes darting around.

"You'll need to move to go to hospital anyway," Harvey informed him. "It'll be fine – I've got you."

Mike shook his head vehemently. "I can't," he whispered, which meant that Harvey had to shuffle closer to hear what Mike was saying. "I'll fall, and everyone'll see."

"They all saw you fall the first time," Harvey pointed out, not letting go of his elbow. "I promise I won't let you fall," he said, quickly wiping away a tear from Mike's cheek that had possibly been caused by the short gasps for breath or the pain. "Ready?"

Mike shook his head but still allowed himself to be pulled up clutching on as much as possible, although he needn't have worried. True to his word, Harvey held on to him and there was no way Mike felt like he would fall, even if he let the older man do all the work. He rested a suddenly dizzy head on Harvey's shoulder but jumped, jolting his arm unbearably when Harvey suddenly turned without warning.

He hissed in pain, but felt a warm hand rub his back in apology.

"Hey, we were told that someone was having an asthma attack?"

"It's a little more complicated than that," Harvey told the paramedic who approached. "His arm…"

Even the EMT pulled a face and whistled. "You've really done a number on yourself, kid," he said. "What did you do?"

A sudden hush fell over the crowd and Harvey saw eyes darting to either Mike or one of the associates stood closer than the rest. His eyes narrowed, instantly suspicious. He hadn't even thought about what had happened. He had been too busy trying to calm the kid down, and then trying not to panic when he was focussed on the arm. He had just assumed that Mike had been clumsy, as always – there had been endless times when Mike would fall and hurt himself. At least twice a month Mike would be limping around the condo after falling over himself.

"Mike, is it?" The EMT asked. "Can I get in closer? Maybe your boss can move to the side?"

Harvey was about to open his mouth to complain, but Mike nodded. "It's okay… Harvey, I'm good." He looked like the word had an odd taste as he said it, and even Harvey blanched. Now that Mike looked a lot like he had when Harvey had first met him, and sounded like it too, it was like a flash from the past. It almost made Harvey think nothing had ever even happened, and that he wasn't even a father. But Mike nodded again and his grip lessened somewhat, letting another paramedic sidle up and hold the young man up, before helping him slide back down to the floor.

Harvey ground his teeth slightly but moved to the side, standing closer to the associate who had been there to begin with.

"Speak," he growled. "Now."

He could hear the paramedics asking Mike routine questions, but made sure he stayed aware of the situation in case Mike didn't know any answers – he bet the kid didn't even know that he shouldn't be given any medications that were too high in penicillin.

The associate – who Harvey thought was called Aaron (and he only knew that because this was the one who sometimes sidled up to Donna and said that Mr. Specter should know that Specter Junior hadn't eaten and he didn't look like he'd slept since the previous week) – paled and swallowed.

"It was… we were talking and he had an armful of files," Aaron said quietly. "And then…" He paused. Regardless of the so-called trait of lawyers, he wasn't particularly blood thirsty or vindictive. He didn't want to get Josh in trouble, but at the same time knew that what the other associate had done was appalling.

"Josh," he said in a low voice. "He knocked Mike's legs out from under him. Mike fell back onto the supply cart and went over it and landed funny. Then he started breathing weirdly and then… then you got here."

Harvey nodded, his gaze sweeping slowly over various associates until he came across one that looked even paler than Harvey did when he first arrived and he knew that one must be Josh.

"You," he said, beckoning him over. "What did you do?"

"I was…" He stuttered. "It was just a… just a joke! I didn't think he'd hurt himself!"

"You thought a man falling over backwards would be funny and wouldn't hurt?" Harvey hissed, as the crowd tried to listen in.

"Well, no… I mean, yes – I mean I didn't want him to… I mean…"

Harvey opened his mouth to rip Josh a new one, but at that moment Mike cried out in pain. In an instant Harvey was back at his side like a mother hen. "What did you do?" He asked the paramedic.

"Look, guy – this shoulder needs to go back into it's place. It's going to hurt like a bitch but it'll feel better once we do it. It's just awkward because of the possible break," an EMT tried to explain.

"Possible?" Harvey hissed. "You call _that_," he pointed at the odd looking limb, "possible?"

"It's fine," Mike waved him away. "Just… just let them do it. I can handle it. I'm not 5."

A few snickers flew from the crowd at the small domestic dispute between father and son, but instantly silenced as the paramedic rotated Mike's arm slightly and he paled even more than anyone thought possible and gave a small whimper.

"I've got it in line," the paramedic almost whispered. "I know it hurts, Mike – but I need to get it back into it's place or you'll need surgery."

Mike whimpered some more but nodded, his teary eyes instantly seeking out Harvey. As soon as they locked eyes Harvey knelt next to him, taking his other hand.

"You're going to be fine," Harvey soothed, watching as the paramedics murmured to each other for a second as one of them held the arm, ready to slot back in.

"It hurts," Mike whispered shakily, his eyes closing. "Where's Donna?"

"I don't know," Harvey confessed, holding up his hand indicating they just needed a few seconds to the paramedic. "Don't worry, she'll mother you as soon as she can. Just put up with me a little while longer, okay, kiddo?"

"I need you to take a deep breath, Mike," the EMT told him. "And you have to exhale when we try to put it back in. Got it?"

Mike nodded, his eyes closing and letting a tear fall out from underneath his eyelid.

"Okay, three," the paramedic warned in a countdown. Harvey soothingly rubbed the back of Mike's hand when the kid clutched tightly. "Two…" Mike's breath hitched but he then quickly took a deep breath. "One."

Mike let out his breath in a rush but it quickly just evolved into a strangled yelp, and a desperate cry. Harvey winced – his hand had basically been put into a clamp by Mike's own. But it was more the sound the younger man had made. He had barely ever heard Mike make a sound like that, and it scared him to death.

"Okay, Mike – it's back in," the paramedic breathed out, patting Mike's leg. "Good job. You ready to go to hospital now?"

Mike just nodded, his head tipping onto Harvey's shoulder tiredly, not even trying to stand up.

"Well done, kiddo," Harvey said, not letting go of his hand. Mike nuzzled into him slightly before realising that what had taken place had basically taken place in front of the entire firm. His work colleagues. He already got shit for being the boss's son and a teenager.

"Okay – you ready for the good drugs?" The EMT asked him, grinning. Mike nodded, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as he felt himself already falling asleep. "Nope, not yet, kid – sleep on the way," the paramedic insisted.

Harvey rolled his eyes but slowly let go of Mike's hand, feeling his own hand cramp painfully. He moved away and took a gentle hold of Mike's uninjured elbow. "Up you get," he said, and with the paramedics on the other side, they soon had the young man up and were slowly walking him out.

"Everyone back to work," Harvey said, turning as they walked. "Except you," he said to Josh, narrowing his eyes. "Go wait in my office and…" he suddenly grinned. "Tell Donna exactly what happened."

* * *

><p><em>"Was Grandma Donna mad?"<br>__"I don't even know what happened in that room. But look – this next page has a picture that Uncle Nick took when your Dad had a tooth out when he was 8…"_

* * *

><p>"Dad, I don't <em>want <em>to go to the dentist!" Mike wailed dismally, pulling at Harvey's arm in his insistence. Harvey sighed - he didn't particularly want Mike to go to the dentist either. The kid had taken part in an unnecessarily rough version of tag with friends at school and had managed to get thrown head-first into a brick wall. One of his teeth had cracked and Harvey had scheduled an appointment as soon as possible. The dentist had told him that since it was just a baby tooth, he could remove it; rather than leaving it to cause him pain.

But that meant surgery - or at least anaesthetic and Harvey was really unsure about that. Mike had had surgery before; his tonsillectomy a few years earlier had terrified Harvey. But he'd come through it completely unscathed, so surely that should calm the man down about this next round of surgery?

Apparently not, as when they arrived at the dentists, Harvey found his stomach turning just as much as Mike's probably was.

"It'll be okay, kiddo," Harvey soothed him as they sat down in the waiting room. "Uncle Nick said he'd come to pick us up."

"Why?" Mike asked, already having been curious about why they had gotten public transport to the dentists.

Harvey shrugged. "I think he has something for you; he wanted to cheer you up." Harvey hadn't been told the specifics, but Nick - whether hoping to take his nephew's mind off the impending surgery or his brother's - had clearly sounded excited for something, so Harvey just left him to it, knowing that if it _was _something dangerous then at least he would be there to supervise.

Although he knew that Mike would be all kinds of woozy and out of it after the surgery, so he severely hoped it wasn't something that required too much thinking.

They got to the dentist and Harvey kept a solid grip on the kid's shoulder, as if he would suddenly bolt. He constantly let his thumb rub slightly to keep Mike calm, and approached the front desk.

"Michael Specter to see Mr. Hinchcliffe," Harvey said to the receptionist. After a few seconds of tapping on a keyboard, the woman nodded.

"Go on through, he's ready for you."

Harvey nodded and took Mike's hand instead of just his shoulder, taking him into the dentist's room. It was just a cool white colour, with minimalist furniture; just the standard dental chair in the middle and with one chair to the side for another person to sit and wait their turn. There was an odd mobile above the chair that had fish on it, blowing slightly in the cool breeze from a fan on a counter top.

"Hey, guys," the dentist smiled. "Mike, you ready to get some serious dough from the tooth fairy?"

Mike shrugged, clutching on tightly to Harvey's hand. Harvey walked over to the dentist chair, practically dragging Mike. The stupid thing was, Mike refused to let go of Harvey's hand, even to save himself from the chair. So Harvey could literally just pick the kid up by pulling up his hand, and dumping him on the seat.

"Don't worry, Mike," Mr. Hinchcliffe said soothingly, already prepping the various tools he would need. "You won't feel anything. I'm going to use this mask," he held it up, "to help you breathe in some gas; it'll taste a bit like bubblegum. And you'll probably get really tired. If you want to sleep, that's fine. Okay?"

Mike shrugged again, still not letting go of Harvey's hand. He glanced up at the man, tears brimming in his eyes; Harvey knelt slightly so he could be at the same level as Mike. "It's okay, kiddo - I promise," he said, running his hands through the kid's hair.

"'M scared," Mike mumbled, wiggling in the chair as the dentist put his gloves on.

"You'll be fine," Harvey promised him, nodding at the dentist, who was waiting with the mask. "You'll get a nice smell for a few moments and you won't feel a thing. Trust me."

Mike's lips wobbled but he nodded, keeping a tight grip to Harvey's hand. With a nod from Harvey, the dentist gently put the mask over Mike's face.

**XxXxXxXxXxX**

"Daaaadeeee," Mike slurred, as he was practically hauled out of the dentist's office, minus a tooth. "Why aren't we at the dentists?"

"We are, kiddo," Harvey said, his mouth twitching as Mike blinked slowly, taking his time as he gazed around, his jaw going slack.

"Ohhh... But... tha's our couch!" He said, pointing blearily at some chairs in a waiting room that were standing together.

"No it's not, Mike," Harvey told him, deciding to just pick him up and hold him on his hip. Mike was bigger than he used to be, and was heavier to carry, but Harvey could just about manage it. He just hoped that Nick wouldn't be too long. The receptionist glanced their way and smiled at Mike, who was blinking slowly constantly as if he was a newborn baby, just getting it's first glimpse of the world.

"I wanna be in the 'vengers," he said, pulling on Harvey lethargically.

"I know you do," Harvey replied. He couldn't help but find it hilarious, adorable and still worrying at the same time. The dentist had explained that Mike would be groggy and all sorts of out of it for a while, and Harvey had known that before he had been told. Nick had been sending him videos all week of people high off their anaesthesia after a trip to the dentists in preparation. But still - the kid sounded drunk, or feverish.

"No, Daddy, you don't know," Mike said, head butting his cheek. "I wanna be like... like..."

"Iron Man?" Harvey ventured a guess.

To his surprise Mike sluggishly shook his head. "Coulson... He was cool..."

"He's not a superhero," Harvey said, trying to bounce the boy slightly, checking his phone before deciding to stand outside and wait for Nick.

"Yes he is!" Mike insisted, sounding extremely upset. "He _is_, Daddy!"

"Okay, okay - he is," Harvey agreed, patting his back. "How about you try to sleep before Uncle Nick gets here?"

"Pretty..." Mike giggled, trying to get down from Harvey's hold and cross the street, seeing a flower shop on the other side of the road.

"No, Mike - we do _not _cross the road on our own, do we?"

"I want one!" He whined, managing to get down (Harvey's arms were tiring out anyway) and stumble drunkenly away. He was moving so slowly that Harvey didn't have any trouble in stopping him and drawing back; this time just keeping an arm around his shoulders.

Thankfully, before he was made to buy a bunch of flowers just to shut Mike up, Nick drove up in what was obviously a borrowed car (probably from Mo), winding down the window as he pulled up.

"Hey! How's toothless?"

"Happy," Harvey replied, and they both looked down to see that Mike was waggling his own fingers in front of himself and singing gently. "C'mon, kiddo - you want Uncle Nick to come back to ours for a while?"

Mike just held up his hands, grinning dazedly at Harvey. Nick laughed and quickly took a picture. "Nick!" Harvey growled, grabbing Mike by the armpits and hauling him up. "There we go," he murmured, rubbing the eight year old's back. "Are you not tired yet?"

"Daddy there's a labradoodle," Mike slurred, pointing to the other side of the road where there was, admittedly, a labradoodle.

"That's nice," Harvey said distractedly, piling him into the back of the car. He pulled the seatbelt around the boy and was about to stand and close the car door when he was pulled back down.

"Nooo, Dad - sit with me!" Mike pleaded.

"Mike, I'm sitting up front. We'll get back soon, alright?"

"But Dad!"

"Mike - "

"Don't sweat it, Harv - I'll sit with him," Nick told him, throwing him the keys.

"You just want more pictures of him," Harvey rolled his eyes, getting into the driver's seat. "You realise I'll make you destroy them all?"

"Not if they're good ones," Nick smirked, taking a picture of Mike, who was drooling slightly because of his half numb jaw. "Hey, kiddo - how was the dentists?"

"I'm an Avenger!" Mike told him in answer, causing Nick to cackle and ruffle his hair.

"Sure you are, Squirt. Wanna pose for a picture?" He grinned in delight as Mike took the word 'pose' to heart and started pulling all _sorts_ of embarrassing poses that Harvey knew the kid would regret in years to come, when he brings his first girlfriend over, for example - Harvey knew that these photos would somehow make an appearance.

"Uncle Nick, let's go snow boarding," Mike said drowsily, pulling on his Uncle's arm slightly.

Nick laughed. "In what snow, kiddo?" Mike bit his lip and reached around himself, going to open the car door, only to find himself stopped by Nick. "Oh no you don't, munchkin - Harv, any way we can speed this up? Kid almost threw himself out of the car."

Harvey quickly glanced around to see that Nick was holding Mike's arm. The car sped up slightly and Mike giggled to himself.

**XxXxXxXxXxX**

Mike had spent the entire ride home convinced that they were on the S.S. Enterprise, and had Nick in stitches as he kept trying to give Harvey orders and calling him 'Ensign'. Nick quickly shut up, however, when Mike simply referred to him as a 'redshirt'.

"Mike, I think it's time you were quiet for a bit," Harvey said firmly, helping Mike into their condo. "How about you try to sleep?"

"But Daaaaad," Mike groaned. Harvey waited but when he realised that Mike wasn't going to finish his sentence, he just sighed and ushered Mike to his room to go to bed.

"Wait, Harv - my surprise!" Nick stopped him, rifling through his bag. "Mikey," he said, catching the kid's attention. "I was going through some old stuff to throw away, and I found _this_," he pulled out an old polaroid camera. "You're probably, like, way too high to get any enjoyment out of it right now - but basically I know a guy who does good deals on film for these, so you'll never run out. Unless I die."

Mike made a grab for it, even though his grab went wide. Nick carefully put it in his hands. "I know I'm giving to you, but that doesn't mean you can break it. I know your game, squirt."

Mike held it clumsily for a while before pointing it slightly off-balanced towards Nick, pressing the shutter. It flashed and a picture came out, causing Harvey to laugh as Mike jumped slightly, shocked at what just happened.

"I think it's bedtime, okay, kiddo?" He smirked, taking the camera gently away from the kid and clasping his hands on both shoulders so that he definitely wouldn't stray, before taking him to his room.

"Night Unca Nick," Mike slurred, being pretty much dragged away.

Nick chuckled. "Night, munchkin."

He sat down and got to work uploading most of the pictures he got onto Facebook.

* * *

><p><em>"That's funny! Ooh, what's that one?"<br>__"That's when your dad was 15, and he's showing off on a new bike he got. He never told me how he got it..."_

* * *

><p>Mike trudged towards the firm, limping every so often and keeping one arm firmly around his middle, wincing whenever a movement pulled at his ribs too much. He didn't want to go to the firm; the chances of getting grounded were too high with both Donna and Harvey working late. But he was too far from home to walk, he had no money for the subway or a taxi, and his bike was... wherever it had been taken to after he had received his ass-kicking.<p>

And it was definitely a very firm ass-kicking. Mike knew who had won that fight and he had definitely come second.

He was hoping that maybe if he sweet talked one of the security guards who knew him well, they would call and thus pay for a cab for him. He walked into the building, trying to come up with a very good reason why they shouldn't call Harvey down to see the mess that was his 15 year old. Unfortunately, there was virtually no one there. He spied a security guard on the other side of the large entrance but from what he could see it wasn't one he got on particularly well with. This may have been the one that - when he was 5, he had 'accidentally' helped the man crawl around ventilation shafts for an hour in search of a small girl that he said he had seen.

It turned out that he had simply seen a plant by the entrance to a shaft, and his panic had been enough to convince the man that there was a child trapped in their ventilation systems. Mike smirked when he remembered this but swore he saw the man crack his knuckles menacingly, so he quickly hurried through the metal detectors, wincing once more at the (very not good) twinge near his ribcage.

He decided to go to IT - Benjamin would help him, and could easily be bribed with a new comic book not to breathe a word of it to anyone. But just as the elevator dinged and he stepped onto it, he immediately walked into someone.

"Sorry, my bad," he hastily apologised, wincing as it reawakened the hurt around his body.

"Mike?"

Mike peeked out from underneath his hoodie and saw he had walked right into Louis. "Louis!" He stuttered. "Sorry, I'm just, uh... I'm just..."

"What happened?" Louis asked, and his tone stopped Mike dead. It wasn't a semi-concerned, 'will-I-be-in-trouble-with-Harvey-for-this?' tone, and it didn't sound like he was angry at Mike. It was a deathly still tone, one that almost sent shivers down Mike's spine at the gravity of it. He sounded like Harvey did when Nick had called at 3am, nearly crying and not making sense until Harvey finally found out that he had been burgled.

That had been a terrifying time. Mike had never heard his uncle so stripped back with his emotions. "Seriously, Harv, everything's gone - my pictures, my... my _camera_, the blu-ray player you got me for my birthday, the painting that Mikey saved up for ages for and got me for Christmas... it's all gone..."

"_Mike._"

He was suddenly rushed back to the present by Louis' voice. He chanced another glance from beneath his eyelashes, knowing he was probably giving the full effect of his puppy-dog eyes to the man.

"It's nothing, I just... it was just... Nothing. I'm fine."

"No you're not," Louis told him, holding the elevator doors open and pushing Mike in there with him. "And we're going - "

"You can't tell my dad!" Mike begged, pushing his hood down in his desperation. He saw Louis' eyes darken at the sight of the mottled bruises and dried blood. "Please?"

Louis pursed his lips but said nothing. When they got to the floor of Pearson Hardman, Mike slowly exited, glancing around and praying that neither Harvey nor Donna were nearby. He quickly put his hood back up and looked at the floor when Louis surveyed him again.

"Come with me," the man said, and Mike quickly followed him, rubbing his sides slowly. To his surprise they went to the men's toilets and Louis patted the counter. "Sit on this and wait for me," he ordered and left for a moment. Mike took the time to look at himself in the mirror. He looked awful - if he could whistle through the split lip then he would, because he looked a mess.

"Mike."

Louis was back, and Mike gave him a sheepish grin, his arm constantly curled around his ribs. The man was holding a first aid kit, and glared at Mike before opening it.

"What?"

Louis looked back up. "You. What happened?"

"Louis, I - "

"Mike. What. Happened?" Louis asked again tersely, and Mike could tell there was no room for jokes.

"I got jumped," he shrugged, wincing as Louis carefully started to apply anti-septic wipes to the cuts and giving him some ice to put on a rapidly swelling bruise on his eye. The healing stopped as Louis pulled the wipes back, looking at him. "Not like, for real," Mike hastily said. "I mean, it was just some people from school."

"By that you mean NYU?" Louis questioned, looking more angry than Mike had ever seen him.

"Well, yeah - it was just a joke, they weren't trying to - "

"Shut up, Mike. The hell it wasn't a joke; you might have broken a rib. What did they do?"

"They didn't like the fact I'm too smart for my own good," Mike told him, looking to the side so that Louis could clean the side of his face.

"So you were a smart-ass and they beat you up," Louis surmised.

"Uh... yeah that's pretty much it," Mike nodded, closing his eyes and hissing when Louis gently touched his cheekbones.

"Sorry," he murmured, before lifting Mike's hoodie up. He swore at the bruises and glared at Mike.

"What?" He squawked. "I didn't do anything!"

"What were their names?" Louis asked dangerously, pressing on Mike's side with one hand, the other resting on his shoulder and squeezing in apology when he hurt him.

"Louis, it doesn't - "

"Don't you say it doesn't matter," Louis spat poisonously. "You are one of us. No one - _no one_ - beats up somebody of Pearson Hardman. Anyway," he hastily added at Mike's awe-struck face, "Harvey would kill me if I didn't do anything." He quickly dabbed at another cut before putting his 'tools' back down. "There. Now it doesn't look as bad for when you go to Harvey and tell him what happened."

"Louis!" Mike whined, getting off the counter and grimacing.

"He'll find out eventually, Mike," Louis told him, trying to look forceful and trying to give some sort of uncle-like advice. Before he realised that the kid's actual uncle's advice would genuinely be more along the lines of, 'Get 'em back. Beat them up too!'

Then Louis was wondering what was wrong with that.

"But I don't want to tell him," Mike said petulantly, pouting. He looked up at Louis. "Can't you tell him?"

Louis spluttered. "What? No! That's your job!"

"Please, Louis?"

"No. You can go tell him. And make sure you tell him that your ribs aren't broken - otherwise he'll just take you to the hospital and waste the doctor's time," Louis grumbled.

"He'll take me anyway," Mike said, equally grumpy. "Thanks, Louis," he said quietly, smiling and wincing once more as it pulled at his lip. He kept the ice to his eye and was about to leave before Louis called him back.

"Did you ride your bike with those ribs?"

"Uh... no. They kinda... they kinda stole my bike."

With that he fled, not wanting to see Louis explode with rage.

He found out after that (and after acting enough to warrant an award, had told Harvey he had fallen up some steps on his bike and had to leave it) that the people who had beaten him up had turned themselves in, and had all bought him a new, better bike than the one he had before.

* * *

><p><em>"I wish <em>my _bike was that good!"  
>"Me too! Wait; Grandpa what's that one?"<br>"That's a note I got from your Dad when he was 10..."_

* * *

><p>"Have you got everything?" Harvey asked, seeing Mike struggle to close an Iron Man backpack. Mike was going to stay at a friend's house for the weekend because Harvey was going to be incredibly busy at work, and no one else had the time to babysit; and he couldn't bring Mike to the office, as he would be constantly going from there, to clients, to court and back again.<p>

Mike nodded, his lips wobbling slightly.

"What's up?" Harvey asked, helping him close the backpack.

"Nothing," Mike shrugged.

"Something's wrong," Harvey said, putting the bag on the floor and raising an eyebrow, waiting for a response.

"It's..." Mike fumbled over his words, not sure how exactly to bring it up. "I'm staying at Tom's for the weekend."

"Yes," Harvey agreed. "You are."

"It's... that's a long time," Mike said, looking up at Harvey, chewing on his lip with an unsure look on his face.

Harvey sighed but pulled Mike over to the couch, sitting him down so that they could talk properly. He'd had a feeling something like this would crop up soon. Harvey had no idea when was a normal age for kids to stay overnight at a friend's house, but even at 10, Mike seemed too young for it.

Not even that - it was just that because he had been in special classes, he hadn't made any friends his own age, and because of that he hadn't spent time outside of school with any of the other kids. And now he was finally going to be sleeping over at someone's house - in all honesty Harvey found it worrying too; he didn't know what would be happening, what if Tom (who Harvey had only met twice) was actually bullying Mike?

But still, he had to give his fears a back seat, because if anyone needed reassuring, it was Mike. And he knew that - like it or not - the kid had to go somewhere else for the weekend.

"You scared?" Harvey asked gently, hoping he came across as more concerned than anything else; he didn't want Mike to think that he was disappointed in him.

Mike sniffed and shrugged, before nodding shyly, staring at his own lap.

"What of?"

Mike shrugged again. "Dunno. Just... I don't wanna be away from home," he murmured, blinking quickly.

"You'll have fun," Harvey said, trying to cheer him up. "And besides, you've been away from home tons of times before - Uncle Nick's, Donna's... Louis'."

"That's different," Mike insisted. "And it was only one night. What if I don't like it and I wanna come home?"

"You'll like it," Harvey told him gently, pulling him closer so that he could soothingly run his fingers through the boy's hair. "You won't want to come home."

"But what if I _do_?" Mike persisted, tugging at Harvey's hand and staring up at him imploringly.

"Then we'll sort something else out so that you can stay here instead," Harvey told him, looking him straight in the eyes to reassure him that he was being serious. "But you have to give it a go first. You'll have too much fun to miss me."

"I don't know," Mike mumbled, looking down again.

"Just try for one day, alright?" Harvey asked. "At least make it through the first night. And you can call me whenever you need to. You know my number."

Mike nodded but still chewed on his lip worriedly. He knew he'd have fun; Tom was a good friend now - one of the first friends he'd properly made from school, and they always had fun together. But it was the first time he would have slept away from home not with someone who he classed as family. So he was nervous. As anyone would be - but as well as that, he was still worried that Harvey might think of him as a baby for being nervous. He was 10, was that too old to be scared or to even have his first sleepover?

Harvey would probably put it down as him being a sensitive kid anyway. But still - Mike didn't want him to think that. Harvey probably wanted a very _boyish _type of son; one who wasn't scared of anything, who liked playing sports and who still didn't get terrified by thunderstorms.

"What are you thinking, kid?" Harvey jostled him slightly.

Mike shrugged. "Nothing."

"Liar."

"It's just..." Mike twisted slightly to look at him fully. "I want to make you proud, so I really wanna go to Tom's and have fun, and not be a baby, and I don't know why I'm so nervous, but I just _am_, and I'm sorry I don't like sports and I'm scared of things, and - "

"Woah, slow down, Mike," Harvey said. "Just relax, would ya?"

"But - "

"Mike I'm not expecting you to be okay with sleeping at Tom's," Harvey told him. "Of course I want you to enjoy yourself, but I also know that it's your first time away from home. I know you're going to be scared - hell, _I'm _going to find it weird. But you're going to have a great time because _you _want to, not because I want you to. And another thing," he added, bumping Mike's knee with his own, "Have I _ever _told you I'm disappointed in you for not liking sports?"

"Well, no, but - "

"Exactly. I want you to be you, kid. Alright? I like you as you."

Mike nodded, still thinking hard. And that night, when he was supposed to be sleeping, he heard Harvey on the phone to Donna.

_"I don't know what to do, Donna - he still thinks he's just a disappointment to me. And he feels like he needs to always make me proud. Am I that bad a father?"_

Mike frowned, curling up in bed as he thought hard. How did Harvey even think that he could be a bad dad? He was constantly trying to make Mike feel better if he was having a bad day; he would always boost Mike's self-esteem whenever possible... Mike couldn't think of anything he'd done wrong.

He'd have to do something. Whenever Mike questioned himself as a member of their small family, Harvey never hesitated to step in and fix the problem. And it was all well and good Donna reassuring him - he wasn't her father. The one person he needed to hear it from was Mike. So he got to work, and soon had a solution to Harvey's problem.

**XxXxXxXxXxX**

"Have a good weekend, kiddo," Harvey said, a forced grin on his face as they stood at Tom's door. He relaxed when Mike - whilst at first he was nervous - nodded and gave him a hug, running after Tom towards what was presumably the back doors of the house, so that they could play in the garden.

"Don't worry, Harvey," Tom's mother said. "They'll have fun. Do I have your number?"

"Mike has it," Harvey nodded. "He'll probably want to call tonight."

"That's fine. I'll see you later."

"Thank you," Harvey said, remembering he should probably stay on very good terms with this woman if he ever needed a babysitter again. "I'll see you on Monday morning."

He got back into his car and sat still for a moment, just taking in the silence. He was used to it; he obviously had plenty of times at work without Mike, or even at home while Mike was at school. But he knew that the silence would soon be broken. But he now had an entire weekend without the kid.

He moved to put his jacket on the passenger seat, before his fingers brushed against a piece of paper that was sitting on it already. Curious, he opened it, realising it was a note.

_Dad,_

_I know I'm not really the easiest person in the world to live with, but you manage to do it so easily - everything you do is pretty much for me and I wanted to say thank you for that. And I heard you talking to Donna about everything; about how you don't think you're a good dad. So I wanted to make a list of everything about you that makes you an awesome dad.  
>1. You always put me first.<br>2. You always try to make me smile.  
>3. When there's a storm you leave your door open for me to come in and get in bed.<br>4. You buy pizza when there's no food left in the house.  
>5. You give really great hugs.<br>6. You **care**.  
>7. There isn't a single person alive I'd rather have as my dad.<br>I could write a bazillion pages, but I'm tired and you might see that my light's on and come tell me off. But please, **please **know that you're the best Dad in the whole entire world and I don't know what I would do without you.  
><em>

_I love you._

Harvey blinked rapidly, unsure what to do with himself. As much as he wanted to get back out of the car, grab Mike and go, he didn't want to ruin the kid's weekend, and he knew he _had _to be at work for most of it anyway. So he just started the car, driving back to their home.

He would thank Mike properly on Monday.

* * *

><p><em>"This is a good one - one of your Dad's 19th birthday cards; he was sick and at Harvard..."<em>

* * *

><p>Mike snivelled miserably and pulled the blanket further around himself, trying to burrow himself into it. He had felt himself getting more and sick throughout the week. He was just thankful that when he went to Harvard, Harvey had insisted he got his own apartment, rather than sharing with anyone. Something about not getting anyone else's germs.<p>

Mike had to laugh at that, considering the state he was in at the moment.

He liked having his own space; not sharing didn't bother him in the slightest. He wasn't in a proper apartment anyway; it was still a block of dorms, but they were like studio apartments. He was sometimes teased about his Dad paying for everything, but when it came down to it - the majority of the people who got into Harvard were as rich as he was, so they couldn't really talk.

He slumped down the couch, letting out a hacking cough, muffled by the tissues he was using to catch they disgusting globules that he would get up from his lungs. He had been to the doctor, who had just prescribed rest and fluids, with painkillers and things to fight the fever.

He hadn't told Harvey. Or Donna. Or Nick. He was on the phone to one of them at least once a day, but he was good at hiding how sick he felt. Harvey would falter every so often on the other line and ask if he was okay, to which Mike laughed it off and said he was fine. Donna would yell at him and accuse him of hiding things, but for the majority, they didn't comment on it. He had told them he had a slight cold that he was getting over.

Now, however, he wished he'd told someone. Because if he had, Harvey would be on his way right now. To possibly bundle him into the car and take him back to the safety of their apartment. But that was impossible, because he had tests and work and mock trials. He was finally finding the work challenging, which he loved - but he didn't like the sheer amount he was given. He was three pieces of work away from a mental breakdown, and to top it all off on this crappy week - it was his birthday today.

He'd had a phone call the day before from Harvey, which made him more home sick than ever.

"Hi, Dad."

_"Hey, kiddo - how are you?"_

"I'm fine," he had lied. "One year older tomorrow."

_"You got that card I sent yet?"_

"No; should I have?"

_"Just keep an eye out for it."_

"I will." There were a few seconds of silence before Mike blurted out. "I miss you."

_"I miss you too,_ _buddy,"_ even Harvey sounded close to tears (although that could have been his blocked ears). _"When is Easter break?"_

"Couple of weeks," Mike shrugged.

_"It seems like years since Christmas," _Harvey said wistfully.

Mike gave a small sniff and cough as he nodded in agreement. "Yeah. How is everyone?"

_"They're fine - you'll have to wait until Easter to get Uncle Nick's present. It's too big to mail. And - what?"_ Harvey stopped, and Mike could just pick out a woman's voice on the other end. _"Okay, I'm going - Mike I need to go. I'll speak to you tomorrow."_

Mike sighed. "It's fine. Bye."

_"Happy Birthday for tomorrow, kiddo. Love you."_

"Love you too," Mike burbled, hoping the conversation would end soon because he felt like bursting into tears. "See you at Easter. Bye, Daddy." With that he had put the phone down before sniffling a few times, quickly turning them into sobs. Sure he was 18 (19 tomorrow) but he was allowed to miss home, and he felt _really_ sick. And later on he would blush with embarrassment at his slip of the tongue.

He _really _just wanted his dad to be there right now.

And if that wasn't just the icing on the cake, it was now 12pm and Mike hadn't heard from Harvey. It was the morning/afternoon of his birthday and he hadn't gotten a single phone call. And the card he had said he had posted still hadn't arrived. And if that weren't enough, he hadn't heard from Donna or Nick either.

"This is the worst," he muttered to himself, rubbing at his eyes in exhaustion. He had woken up in the middle of the night, boiling hot and with a throat that felt like it had been cut open.

To make things worse, there was a knock on the door. He groaned and glared at it, wanting nothing more than for the person to leave. He didn't want to stand up _or_ speak to anyone.

The knocking persisted, and he shuffled upright, getting out of the tangle of blankets and waiting for the vertigo to pass before moving. He opened the door and his eyes widened.

"Dad," he croaked. "What are you doing here?"

Harvey raised a critical eyebrow as he surveyed Mike. The kid's hair was rumpled and there was a sheen of sweat on his forehead. There were dark circles under his eyes and his clothes had obviously been worn for a few days.

"You look like shit."

Mike snorted weakly before just crashing into Harvey with a hug, gripping him tightly. He felt Harvey cup the back of his head and slowly ruffling his damp hair. "Happy Birthday, kiddo."

Mike sniffed and nodded, weakly pulling away and rubbing at his forehead. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"I wasn't going to come at all, at first," Harvey told him, ushering him into the small apartment and hanging his jacket up, his nose wrinkling at the warm, dead air in the living room. "But you haven't been sounding right the last few days. Why didn't you tell me you were sick?"

Mike shrugged. "It's not like you could do anything." He half dizzily fell and sat down on the couch, bundling his blanket around himself again while Harvey opened a window. The older man turned back and started clearing away things from the room; trash that had been steadily building up during Mike's incapacitation was quickly put in a bin bag and thrown to the side to be taken out later.

"Dad, you don't need to do that," Mike said weakly, watching as Harvey started washing up plates that had been left by the sink.

"Have you been to the doctor?" Harvey asked, ignoring him.

"Yeah," Mike replied, his eyes closing at the sheer relief he felt that his dad was there. "He said I just need fluids and bed rest. And tylenol. Lots of tylenol."

"And when was the last time you took any?" Harvey asked, deciding to stop tidying and instead getting a glass of water and wetting a cloth. He sat next to Mike and gently pushed him down so he was lying on the couch, trying to bury his face in the cushions. Harvey placed the cloth on Mike's forehead and put the glass of water down next to him in case he wanted to drink.

"Uh..." Mike tried to think, but it was hard to when Harvey was slowly rubbing his arm soothingly. "I don't know. Maybe 4 hours ago?"

Harvey hummed and continued to rub his arm. "Okay. We'll wait another half hour to be safe, alright?" Mike nodded, before sitting up and turning, lying back down so that this time, his head was resting on Harvey's lap. He heard Harvey snort slightly before running his fingers through Mike's hair, ignoring the dampness from the sheen of sweat mixed with the wet cloth.

"Some birthday, huh?" Harvey joked.

"Yeah," Mike snuffled. "And I still haven't gotten the card you sent."

"I lied," Harvey said simply. "It was going to be a surprise, me coming here, so I told you I'd sent a card. I've got a few cards in my bag from a few people. And some presents." He laughed as Mike's head perked up at the word. "Some things never change, huh, kid?"

"I like presents," Mike croaked, sticking his tongue out.

"When are your next lectures?" Harvey asked.

"I don't have another one 'til next Friday," Mike said. "'Til then it's just doing our own research and writing an essay. I've finished it anyway," he said, shrugging.

"So you basically have a whole week free," Harvey confirmed. Mike nodded tiredly. "Okay - stay there." With that he got up, carefully sliding Mike's head off his lap. He went into what was Mike's small excuse for a bedroom and started throwing some clothes into a bag, along with as much medicine as he could find and a badly hidden H.B.

"What are you doing?" Mike asked from his spot on the couch. "And when do I get my presents?"

Harvey laughed but went back out of the room, throwing Mike some socks. "Put these on." He waited until Mike had done so before nodding and giving him a pair of shoes that he'd found.

"I don't really feel up to going out to celebrate my birthday, Dad," Mike told him, pulling the shoes on anyway. He rubbed at his forehead and pulled off the now only semi-damp cloth. He found himself being bundled into a jacket. "Dad," he whined. "I'm too warm anyway."

"Tough," Harvey replied, picking up his own bag that he had brought and the one he had packed. "Where are your keys?" Mike pointed them out from their place on a small hook on the wall. Harvey grabbed them before gently guiding Mike out with a hand on his back, locking the door and pocketing the keys.

"Where are we going?" Mike huffed, exhausted. He'd not gotten much sleep for a few days, and was too groggy to realise what even a child would have realised by this point.

"Home," Harvey replied, guiding Mike down and out of the building, into the waiting car that the man must have driven down in. Mike gaped at him. "What?" Harvey asked. "You have a free week. We're going home."

"You don't have to," Mike mumbled. "I'll be fine here if you're busy."

"Shut up," Harvey told him. "You can open your presents and cards at home. Donna and Uncle Nick will be there, you can live in a germ free apartment for a while."

"Seriously, if this is too much hassle - "

"Mike," Harvey stopped him, cupping his face with a free hand. "Stop it. You're sick. I'd like you home. Do you want to come home?"

"Of course," Mike croaked. "I just didn't think you'd want me back yet."

Harvey rolled his eyes and pulled a blanket from the bag he had packed, wrapping it around Mike, practically swaddling him in it.

"Dad!" Mike whined, even though he snuggled down into it. "People'll see!"

Harvey snorted and started the ignition, noting that it took Mike less than five minutes to fall asleep as they started to drive back.

* * *

><p><em>"What's that?"<br>__"An incident report from when your dad was 16. He wanted to keep it..."_

* * *

><p>The first thing Donna was aware of as she finished planning Harvey's schedule for the week was a crash from the man's office. Jumping slightly, she looked around, to see that Harvey had leapt up from his desk, sending a lamp and a photo frame to the ground. She raised her eyebrow and kept watching as he spoke on his cell.<p>

She couldn't make out the words and he was pacing up and down, too far away from the intercom for her to listen in. Eventually he put the phone in his pockets and breathed out into his hands, before running them through his hair. She waited until he had pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut, before walking in.

"What happened?" She asked calmly, even though she was more than worried as he barely ever reacted like this to anything.

He opened his eyes and grabbed his jacket. "That was the hospital," Harvey said, his voice wavering. "Apparently Mike's been in a car accident and they're 'unable to explain any more over the phone'," he opened his door with unnecessary force as he stormed out.

"What? When? Did they tell you _anything_?" Donna asked, grabbing her cell and following.

"Nope - they wouldn't even confirm whether he's injured or not," he growled, texting Ray with shaking hands to pick him up and drive them to the hospital.

**XxXxXxXxXxX**

When they got there, Donna was slightly scared by how intimidating Harvey could be when something like this happened. He had pushed one nurse to the point of tears and had to go through endless paperwork to prove he was who he said he was. Finally, a doctor entered the waiting room, zeroing in on Harvey pacing like a caged lion and Donna sat, shaking slightly.

"Family of Michael Specter?" He asked, and Harvey's head shot up.

"Is he alright? What happened? They haven't told us anything," Harvey would never admit to babbling but at that moment in time he had to admit - he had never been so freaked out.

"I'm sorry no one said anything," the doctor said, looking genuinely sympathetic. "But that is our standard procedure - but Michael's fine. He said he was driving home from school when some kids ran out in front of him; he swerved and hit a tree."

"A _tree_?" Harvey repeated, trying so hard to keep his dinner down as he imagined Mike's car smashing into a sturdy trunk, his neck snapping forward before rolling back...

"Yes, but thankfully the car had good air bag technology. He's got a mild cut on his forehead which will sting for a few days and his neck will be aching - and he has to wear a knee brace for a week or so because he hit it off the wheel... But other than that he can leave."

Harvey closed his eyes for a second before reopening them and nodding. "Thank you, doctor. Where is he?"

The doctor pointed down the corridor. "Third door on the right."

Harvey was gone, leaving Donna to thank the doctor properly.

**XxXxXxXxXxX**

Mike rubbed his hands down his jeans for the fifth time to try and stop them from being so clammy. The doctor said he wasn't in shock, but that meant Mike didn't know why he was shaking, why his hands kept going clammy... The door to the room he was in opened and he smiled with relief as Harvey stepped in.

As soon as Harvey saw the kid smile he walked straight up to him and hugged him. Mike rested his face on Harvey's shoulder as the older man cupped the back of his head and held him there - knowing full well he could have lost him today. Mike wrapped his arms around Harvey and felt himself shudder slightly as the events caught up to him.

Harvey pulled back and looked at him. "Hey," he said softly, quickly catching a small tear with his thumb that the 16 year old wouldn't admit to having shed. "It's alright."

"I broke the car," Mike burbled.

"It's fine, that can be fixed," Harvey told him gently, taking him back into a hug. "_You _on the other hand..."

Mike gave a small snort but fell into the hug much as he had the first one. "Sorry," he whispered.

"It wasn't your fault," Harvey said soothingly, running his fingers through Mike's hair. "Wherever these kids are, they're going to get one hell of a law suit."

"They were young, they weren't looking where they were going," Mike said, wiping his eyes on Harvey's shoulder. "They already said sorry."

Harvey hummed in reply and soon let him go from the hug and helped him off the bed. He winced at Mike's wince as he moved his neck slightly and rested a gently hand on his shoulder as he limped. After Donna had fussed over him for about an hour they left the hospital, with Mike fully drugged up and sleeping next to Harvey in the back of his town car.

When Donna couldn't stand the silence any more from her seat next to Ray, she turned to talk to Harvey before smiling and turning back.

He had his arm around Mike, pulling him to gently rest on him, the teen's head resting on his shoulder. He in turn was resting his cheek on Mike's hair, his eyes closed but not sleeping. He rubbed his cheek against the soft hair occasionally, ignoring Donna's high pitched 'aw' that escaped her.

* * *

><p><em>"Wow, Dad was in a car crash? He never said! Wait - is that Disneyland?"<br>__"Yep - that's your Dad with Mickey Mouse when he was 3..."_

* * *

><p>"Harvey! Wake up! You hafta wake up <em>now<em>!" Mike didn't care that he was probably about to rupture Harvey's lungs, or break his ribs. He reasoned that bouncing on the man's chest/stomach was the _only _possible way to get him up.

Harvey groaned and coughed slightly, his arms being the first things to move as he quickly grabbed Mike by the armpits and pulled him off.

"Harvey! It's nearly 7! We need to go!"

Harvey groaned. The worst thing about now being the legal guardian of a 3 year old was the early mornings. But Harvey persevered in the hopes that Mike would eventually sleep for longer; or at least learn not to barge in when he woke up.

But he guessed because they were on vacation he could cut him a bit of slack. Maybe.

"Can I have breakfast? Or are we having that at Disneyland? Can we have something fun? We're on vacation after all, we should eat something fun!"

"Mike I just woke up, nothing you're saying is making sense to me." Harvey rubbed at his eyes, leaning forward slightly and sighing. He was exhausted. They'd had to get up early to get the plane to California, and when they got to their rented villa (of course) it had taken Harvey a lot longer than it should have to get Mike ready for bed. The kid had bounced all over the place, evading capture many times and when he was finally caught and taken to have a bath, the warm water with sneaky lavender scented bubbles didn't have the right effect, and Mike was still too excited to sleep. Not when he knew that the day after they'd be going to Disneyland.

"Harvey?" The way Mike's voice had softened enormously brought him back to Harvey's attention.

"Yeah?"

"Don't be mad."

"I'm not mad," Harvey reassured him, because he was but he knew he shouldn't be and the kid didn't deserve that. "I'm just tired. How about next time you wake me up differently, alright?" Mike nodded, before pulling at his duvet slightly. "What?"

"Will you take me to the bathroom?" Mike asked, blushing scarlet. "I can't reach the seat."

Harvey frowned but nodded, taking Mike's hand and leading him to the bathroom. He hadn't even considered bringing their usual step-stool with them, and realised he'd have to buy one pretty quickly if he didn't want to be constantly helping Mike with the toilet. Donna had at some point suggested getting a potty, and Harvey had laughed in her face - he didn't think there would be anything on earth that would make Mike want to use one.

He lifted Mike onto the seat and smoothed his hair down soothingly, before turning away and focussing on turning the shower on and making sure it was a comfortable temperature. He helped Mike back down and then lifted him to wash his hands.

"Okay, kiddo - go watch TV for a bit while I have a shower. We can have breakfast and then go. Okay?" Mike nodded, still blushing from needing help before quickly running out. As soon as Harvey heard sound from the TV, he closed the bathroom door.

**XxXxXxXxXxX**

"Harvey, I want to go on Space Mountain!" Mike begged, pulling on his hand. He had been annoyed for all of five minutes after being forced into wearing a pull-up, just in case it was too crowded. Even though he knew it made sense, he still couldn't help but ignore Harvey for a while. At least he didn't know that Harvey had brought another two in his bag; just in case.

"I don't think they'll let you on, kiddo," Harvey told him, glancing at the sign outside. Mike was way too young and small to ride anything he wanted, and it was definitely getting on his nerves.

"This isn't fair!" Mike whined, being quickly taken over to the side of the path by Harvey, who was looking around him, apparently really not wanting to be embarrassed by a three year old. "I've wanted to go to Disneyland for ages! And now I'm _here_, I can't _do_ anything!" He looked ready to burst into tears at any moment, so Harvey quickly picked him up, even though he was already being weighed down by the tourist-looking backpack he had on.

"I know it's not ideal," Harvey told him. "But loads of kids come here and never want to leave."

"That's because they're idiots!" Mike argued. "They're entertained by anything! I won't be entertained by Mickey Mouse pushing me around in a big teacup!"

"How do you know if you haven't tried it?" Harvey asked, causing him to get a glare in response. "Look - just try a few rides, okay? And you love Disney films; so shouldn't it be the same thing?"

Mike seemed to be contemplating this, before finally shrugging. "I guess. But you have to promise we'll come back when I'm tall enough!"

"I promise, kiddo," Harvey told him, rubbing his back before finally putting him down and taking his hand instead.

"Which rides _can_ I go on?" Mike asked, rubbing at his eyes in case he had let any tears out.

"There's the teacups," he suggested slowly, rolling his eyes when Mike pouted. "Suck it up, kid - lots of these rides will be like that." He took a minute to scan the map of the park. "Look at it again and decide."

Mike took the map and skimmed it. "Can I go on the Haunted Mansion?" At Harvey's unsure face, he stamped his foot. "Harvey! Please? They let kids on there! Please?"

Harvey sighed but nodded, taking Mike's hand again and walking to a different part of the park.

****XxXxXxXxXxX**  
><strong>

"I _told_ you I could go on this one," Mike said smugly as they got into the 'stretching portrait gallery'.

"Yeah, yeah," Harvey waved it off, walking fully into the room as the Disney worker told them to. The small group that got in all stood there and listened to the 'ghost host' talk.

"Harvey," Mike hissed, pulling on his leg. "Look at the pictures."

"I see them, kid," Harvey told him, deciding that picking him up would be easier in the long run - at least then Mike wouldn't have to talk as loudly to be heard. Harvey tensed as Mike gave a small yelp and hid his face in Harvey's shoulder as the room went dark and a flash of lightning resonated around them, showing a corpse swinging from the rafters above them.

The lights came back on and a door opened, ready for them to leave. "You want to keep going?" Harvey asked quietly, walking down a corridor.

"Yeah," Mike replied, lifting his head and glancing around, keeping a tight clutch on Harvey. Upon seeing people getting into moving cars on tracks, he clutched even harder. "We don't have to get separated, do we?"

"No, kiddo, we don't," Harvey said, already dreading the ride. Mike be damned, the next ride would be the teacups. They got into the car and Harvey managed to convince Mike to sit next to him rather than on him.

Thankfully, Mike wasn't as scared as Harvey would have thought. He may have had his thumb in his mouth in the entire time, but he giggled slightly at some bits, and his eyes widened when they reached a large ballroom with see-through ghosts dancing around it. The only bit he clung to Harvey to and had his eyes firmly shut was the attic, in which they could just hear a heartbeat sound echoing the room. They passed a ghostly bride and left the room, causing Mike to slowly open his eyes again.

Towards the end of the ride, they went through a graveyard full of happy ghosts singing, and Harvey was glad to see that Mike was a lot more relaxed during that bit, and even let his thumb leave his mouth slightly. He gasped and pointed towards a mirror as they were leaving, which showed a ghost sat in between them

"Harvey look!"

"I see it."

"It said it was coming home with us!"

"Don't worry, kiddo - I won't let it."

They got off the ride and immediately Mike clamoured to be picked up.

"Well?" Harvey asked. "What did you think?"

Mike put his thumb back in his mouth shyly and shrugged. "Can we go on the teacups now?"

****XxXxXxXxXxX**  
><strong>

It had been a long, exhausting day. Mike had agreed to go on more children's rides and even stood still long enough for them to get a few pictures of him with various dressed up characters around the park.

Harvey realised that it marked just a first in a very long string of what would be him not being able to say no to the puppy-dog eyes, as Mike pleaded for several toys whilst in a shop on Main Street. Although he felt proud in that he'd managed to whittle it down to only buying two of them. So he could barely keep his eyes on the road driving back to their rented accommodation, because in the back seat, Mike had fallen asleep in no time at all; and was clutching his large toys of Nemo and Simba, no doubt drooling all over them.

"Harvey we should go back," Mike mumbled as he was lifted out of the car carefully.

"We will, buddy. We've got all day tomorrow," Harvey soothed him, taking him inside and laying him on his bed, pulling his shoes and socks off.

"Can I get a Mickey toy tomorrow?" He burbled, chewing on Simba's ear. Harvey removed the fur from his mouth and decided it would just be easier to replace it with the kid's thumb.

"We'll see. Go to sleep," he shushed, tucking in the small boy and his two new toys.

"M'kay, Daddy."

Harvey let a warm smile cover his face at that, and made sure he ruffled the kid's hair and kissed his forehead before leaving the room, switching on the night light.

* * *

><p><em>"Is that Dad holding a spider?"<br>__"Yep. We went camping when he was 6, and he wanted to get pay-back on Uncle Nick..."_

* * *

><p>Mike stumbled slightly over a tree stump and fell into his Uncle's arms.<p>

"Careful, kid," Nick said, hauling him back up. "That's like - the third one."

"I don't like camping," Mike pouted, rubbing at his arms.

"You cold?" Nick asked, taking his backpack off to find a spare jacket for his nephew.

"No! Stop it, you're worse than Dad," Mike whined, looking back to where Harvey was walking, a large backpack on his back, that held about three first aid kits, several spare sets of clothes, water bottles, an inflatable life jacket and a penknife which had been instantly hidden from Mike, lest he think it would be a good idea to play with it.

"He just wants to make sure you're alright," Nick rationalised. "I wasn't allowed to go camping until I was 10 - be grateful."

"Are we there yet?"

"I swear to God I will leave you here to be eaten by bears if you keep asking that," Nick told him without too much malice. He winced as his face pricked slightly. "Oh man... I hate midges."

"Mikey?" Harvey caught up with them. "Do you need more cream? It looks like there's a big cloud of flies coming up."

"Yeah... we noticed," Nick sniped, spitting slightly and waving his hands around in front of his face. "I thought this was supposed to be relaxing and fun! I'm starting to agree with the munchkin on this, bro - it's not too late to turn around and swap sleeping under the stars to sleeping under a four-poster canopy."

Harvey rolled his eyes and just squirted some insect repellent cream onto his hands, rubbing it slightly before grabbing hold of Mike and trying to get it all on his face.

"_Dad_!" Mike whined. "I don't need more cream! It doesn't smell nice!"

"That's true," Nick agreed, nodding. "It smells like Satan's ass."

"Nicholas!" Harvey scolded him, glaring at him menacingly.

"Lighten up, Harv - when you think about it, the rules of parenting don't apply here."

"Explain," Harvey said, determinedly rubbing in cream on every part of naked skin he could reach on the small boy.

"Well," Nick began. "You won't swear in front of the kid, but you've brought him out in the middle of nowhere - you're the only one with provisions, and no one knows you've gone. It's very Spartan of you."

"Shut up," Harvey told him, putting the tube of cream back in his bag and starting to walk forward again. Nick sighed and followed, catching Mike as he stumbled yet again.

"Was it wise bringing him?" Nick called out. "He's gonna break something before this trip is up, and it might not even be one of his bones."

"You don't want me here?" Mike asked, frowning.

"'Course I want you here, Squirt," Nick soothed instantly. "I'm just looking out for you. Root," he said, grabbing Mike by the armpits and hoisting him over a particularly menacing looking obstacle. Mike had been walking backwards as he talked to Nick, and Nick was surprised he hadn't fallen over completely yet.

"Are we there yet?" Nick now asked, huffing and grabbing Mike's hand so that they both sped forward to catch up with Harvey.

"I'm hungry," Mike said, pulling on Nick's hand.

"Oh for God's sake," Harvey rolled his eyes, trying to ignore his son and brother. They'd had this trip planned for a while now; Nick had mentioned that he missed going camping with their father when they were kids, and Mike had been enthralled, listening to Nick's stories until hours after his usual bedtime. Harvey had scheduled time off work, had bought as much gear as he could lay his hands on, and had been looking forward to spending some time as just the three of them; away from any distractions such as phones or internet.

And yet now he found himself wishing for a distraction.

After about half an hour of solid walking (all with the help of Harvey's trusty map and compass) they got to a clearing that Harvey proclaimed would be their campsite. He set to work erecting the tents - two of them because a) Nick has to set up his own damn tent and b) Mike was adamant he deserved his own tent and was too much of a big boy to share a tent. So Harvey made them very close to each other, and was just wondering how he would get the night light to work when Mike approached, having been preoccupied with running after a tired looking frog for about 20 minutes.

"Hey, kid. You okay?"

"Where's the bathroom?"

"Mike we're in the middle of nowhere. You thought there'd be a bathroom here?"

Mike pouted. "I thought there'd be like, public toilets somewhere. What am I supposed to do?"

"There are plenty of trees and bushes around," Harvey suggested, throwing sleeping bags into tents.

"I can't go here!" Mike squawked.

"Well then you'll have to hold it for the next two days," Harvey told him, getting a spot prepared for a fire for what Mike assumed was a possible barbecue.

"But what if there's like... bugs and stuff?" Mike persisted. "And snakes and... and badgers."

"I really doubt there'll be any snakes and badgers, kiddo," Harvey told him, patting his back. "You're going to have to go at some point. Do you want me to go with you?"

"No!" Mike instantly said. "I'm not a baby!"

"I never said you were," Harvey said, slowly getting a fire started. "Don't go near this," he warned firmly. Mike sighed and slumped his shoulders, walking off to where he was presumably going to pee. Harvey half-wanted to go with him, on the off-chance that there _were _snakes and badgers in the wood, but he relaxed when he could just make out the red of Mike's hoodie from behind a tree and surrounded by bushes.

Soon, he, Mike and Nick were sitting around the fire, and Mike was slightly jittery due to the amount of smores that Nick had fed him.

"Please tell me we're not going to do the cheesy, cliché thing of sitting around the campfire, telling stories and singing songs, are we?" Nick asked, looking around uneasily as if Harvey was about to pull a guitar out from behind him. Instead, the older Specter just rolled his eyes and prodded the fire slightly as it became darker.

"Can we play hide and seek?" Mike asked, bored of sitting down.

"No," Harvey replied instantly. "It's dark and you don't know these woods at all. We'd never find you again."

"But I'm bored!" Mike whined. "Just for a bit? I promise I won't go too far away!"

"Relax, squirt," Nick said from his incredibly relaxed position on the ground (which had of course been checked by Harvey and had anything sharp quickly removed). "How about we do something else?"

"Like what?" Mike asked grumpily.

"I'll tell you a ghost story," Nick offered, grinning at him.

"Okay!" Mike agreed quickly.

"Cool; okay, ready?" Nick asked. Mike nodded. "Okay - there was once this wood, that no one dared go in after sunset. There were tons of rumours about it, and one time, a small family decided to go camping there..."

**XxXxXxXxXx**

"Have a good sleep, squirtle," Nick grinned at him as Mike slowly crawled into his tent and huddled into his sleeping bag. Nick's story had been... dramatic, to say the least. By the end of it, the youngest of the trio in the story had gone to his dad's tent in the dead of night, only to find him beheaded, and with thousands of maggots in the sleeping bag.

Harvey hadn't been pleased. At all. But Mike didn't make a single sound throughout the story, and shushed Harvey when he complained. So now he was in his tent, staring out at the now dying fire.

"Are you sure you want to sleep in your own tent?" Harvey asked, kneeling down by the opening. Mike nodded, clutching H.B to his face and hugging him tightly. Harvey sighed. "Alright - I'll see you in the morning, buddy. Good night," he reached in to kiss Mike's head, ruffling his hair before getting out and zipping the tent up. "Uncle Nick and I are going to bed too," he told him. "So the fire's going to be out anyway. You got your flashlight?" Mike nodded and pulled it out of his sleeping bag.

"Night, Daddy."

"Just remember, I'm right next to you if you need anything. Alright?"

Mike nodded again and immediately flicked the flashlight on, laying it on the ground as he put his head down and closed his eyes.

He slept for maybe two hours, before being woken by a strange noise. He immediately grabbed his flashlight, pulling it against him, shaking it desperately when it flickered. He knew the batteries were probably dying. But the spares were all in Harvey's backpack in his tent. There was a slight rustling outside the tents, and Mike heard an owl hooting somewhere in the distance. He closed his eyes as tightly as possible and hid as far down in the sleeping bag as he could go.

But he was now freezing, not having noticed when he was about to sleep, or when he was asleep. Another rustle sounded outside and all Mike could think was the story Nick had told. About the ghostly killer that massacred anyone in the woods.

He thought he could hear something scratching on the outside of his tent, and shot out of his sleeping bag, holding his teddy and flashlight. He quickly unzipped his tent and ran to Harvey's, tripping on the way and skinning his knees. Tears came to his eyes and he hurriedly unzipped Harvey's tent, falling in and clutching the man who had sleepily rolled over.

"Hey, kiddo - shh," Harvey immediately sat up and pulled the kid onto his lap, trying to quiet him down. "What's up?"

"I thought I heard something!" He gasped. "I don't wanna be killed!"

"You won't be," Harvey shushed him, rocking him. "It's just Uncle Nick's stupid story. It wasn't real."

"And I fell over," Mike sniffed, so upset that he put his thumb in his mouth in an attempt to calm himself down. "I hurt my knees..."

"Let's look at them," Harvey said soothingly, putting his own flashlight on and gently pulling up the kid's pyjama bottoms so he could see Mike's knees. They were bleeding slightly, and he could tell there would be a bruise on one of them. Harvey grabbed the first aid kit from beside him and whispered apologies as he dabbed at the broken skin with a wipe.

"You want to sleep in here tonight?" Harvey asked, grinning to himself as Mike nodded his head and crawled into the double sleeping bag that Harvey knew he would need. He let his fingers card through the boy's hair and he snuggled up tightly to Harvey's chest.

His last thoughts, as his arms encircled the kid was that he would kill his brother - and would discuss with Mike plans to put spiders in Nick's sleeping bag ready for the next night.

* * *

><p><em>"I hate spiders!"<br>__"So does Uncle Nick. This one here is when your Dad went out with some associates when he first started working at the firm..."_

* * *

><p>"Mike, I'm working late tonight; make sure you lock the door before you go to bed," Harvey told him, as Mike dropped some files off in his office.<p>

"I'm not 12, Dad," Mike told him, rolling his eyes. "I'm 19. I'm an associate here. I'm a big boy. I remember to lock doors. And I don't have a bedtime."

"Did I insinuate that you did?" Harvey replied. "I'm just telling you that you don't need to bother waiting up for me."

"Is it a big case?" Mike asked. "I can help - I don't have much to do." He looked so eager and happy to help that Harvey couldn't help but smile back. Mike had been working hard the past few weeks, trying to earn a spot underneath a partner, and Harvey knew that Mike had been doing the work of at least 3 other associates. He would think about maybe seeing if Mike could be _his _associate. Just like old times. Plus; it would mean he would know where the kid _was_.

"It's fine, kid. You need sleep."

Mike chewed his lip but nodded. "If you're sure."

"I am. Go home. Sleep." Harvey waved him out.

"Okay. See you in the morning," Mike grinned at him before leaving, waving to Donna and going to the associate bullpen, grabbing his jacket and bag. A huddle of associates beckoned him over.

"Okay - associate happy hour only happens once a month at this bar we all go to. We're friends with the owner so we can get you in; we'll just order your drinks."

"Guys, if it's gonna get you into trouble you really don't have to do this," Mike said, his stomach flipping slightly at the thought of Harvey finding out. Obviously he had been drunk before; at Harvard he went to parties where he didn't need to worry about being ID'd, and before then he'd drank alcohol. But Harvey thought that he was just going home to get sleep.

Mike knew he probably _should_ do that. It had been a very long and stressful week for him, and now was his chance to catch up on sleep. But because of all the work he'd done for the other associates, they said they'd pay him back in drinks. And he knew if he didn't accept it, he wouldn't get paid back in any way for it all. So he thought what was the harm in going out for a while? He didn't have to stay long; heck he didn't have to drink much.

He would just accept drinks to be polite.

**XxXxXxXxXxX**

Mike felt tipsy.

Slightly more than tipsy actually.

In fact, he would go so far as to say 'wasted'.

There had been a _lot_ of drinks bought for him that night, and thankfully it seemed that only the owner - a very laid-back man who Mike swore he had seen at Nick's one time playing poker - was clued in on the underage drinker. The associates had all clubbed together and promised that they would look after him and they would take full responsibility for him so that the owner would be safe.

Mike wanted to think that it was a very nice gesture; that they really wanted him out with them just so they could say they had gotten the boss' son drunk. And possibly left him by the side of the road by the looks of how the night was turning out.

At first it was fun - they were all buying him cocktails and they were playing drinking games with shots. After about an hour and a half as they all progressively got more drunk, Mike noticed that they all got louder and very handsy.

It was weird how literally every associate he was out with was a cuddly drunk, and he had to fend off at least six hugs and had to endure his hair being ruffled by them all. They were forever commenting on how his age was 'cute' and that it's 'sweet he and his Dad work together'.

Although this got annoying, by the time he stood up to go to the bathroom and the whole world tipped slightly sideways, he couldn't care less. He laughed loudly at any jokes or taunts that he heard and was slumping next to a female associate he vaguely knew as 'Lucy' as she droned on about her boyfriend troubles.

"Because I just think that if he actually loves me like he said he does, he would realise that saying I look like a whale _hurts_ me."

"It doesn't sound very nice," Mike agreed, nodding his head sagely. "Maybe you should find someone new."

"Someone like... you?" She asked coyly, looking up at him from under her eyelashes, batting them and giggling, turning from heartbroken to on the prowl in three seconds.

"Uh... maybe not me... What about... Kevin?" He asked, pointing out the associate. "He's nice." Kevin was at that point slumped over the bar, trying not to throw up. "I mean, he's a great guy, and you - oh, okay," he jerked slightly as the woman moved her hand onto his thigh, slowly sliding it up. "Uh, I'm a lot younger than you, maybe you should try someone your own age, and - " He made a strangled sound as her hand found it's target and squeezed gently. He pulled away quickly, stumbling as the world spun around him.

"Oh come on, baby - I'll make ya feel real good," she promised, prowling towards him.

"No that's okay, I'm good with how I feel now," Mike stuttered, backing away and managing to slip through some other associates and make his escape. He breathed out and found himself being given another drink by Simon, one of the nicer associates.

"Thanks, man," he grinned, practically drinking it in one.

"This is fun," Simon told him, grinning lopsidedly. "I've never worked with a teenager. Especially not the boss' son. It's fun to get you drunk."

Mike laughed. "I'm gonna be in so much trouble," he snorted.

"Mr. Specter doesn't need to find out," Simon told him.

"I live with him," Mike reminded him, sitting down on a bar stool in the hopes that it would stop the ground shifting from beneath his feet. "But he _is_ working late tonight..."

"Exactly! It's only..." Simon checked his phone. "3am. He'll either be at the firm or in bed. You can sneak back in. God I remember what it was like, having to sneak in after drinking," he said nostalgically. "I miss it."

"3am?" Mike asked, merely hung up about that part. "Shit, I should go - I have work tomorrow. We all have work tomorrow."

"Yeah but you're the boss' son!" Simon said - not that Mike needed reminding. "He'll give you the day off!"

Mike laughed hysterically for about five minutes before finally straightening up and wiping tears from his face. "I should still go. I'll see you guys later!"

The few associates still left standing said goodbye and carried on drinking. Mike stumbled slightly blearily out of the bar, resting against a lamp post as he pulled out his phone to call a taxi. He wasn't too sure where he was, but if he could still read, the bar name should be enough. However, as he rifled through his pockets, he realised he had no money. And as drunk as he was, he wasn't stupid enough to think that a taxi would take him for free.

He instead decided to call the one person who he knew would help.

_"Y'ello?"_

"Hi, Uncle Nick!" Mike said, way too loudly. "What're you doing?"

_"Mikey! How's my favourite nephew? I'm just out with some friends. You?"_

"Same!" Mike beamed. "Wanna come pick me up from the bar? I don't have money for a cab."

_"No can do, squirt - I'm so far over the legal limit I don't think there is one. But this is awesome - we should drink together at some point!"_

"We can do it now! Where are you?"

_"Brooklyn. You?"_

"Uh... not Brooklyn? I dunno."

_"Don't get killed,"_ Nick said, giving very helpful advice. _"Let me know when you get home, alright?"_

"I'll call Dad," Mike told him. "He might still be at work."

_"Again - don't get killed,"_ Nick said. _"See ya later, munchkin."_

Mike hung up and called Harvey instead.

"Dad!" He said when he picked up. "Hey, you busy?"

_"Why are you calling me?"_ Harvey sounded very concerned. _"What's wrong?"_

"I went out with the associates and I dunno where I am, and I don't have any money for a cab, and if you're not too busy - will you come get me?"

_"Wait, wait, wait... You went out with the associates? To a bar?"_

"Uh-huh!"

_"And you're drunk?"_

"Not at all, I promise," Mike slurred. "But will you come get me? Please? I don't wanna sleep on the street." He heard a sigh on the other end, and some muttering that may have been Harvey cursing the fact he had an idiot for a son.

_"Stay where you are. Whereabouts are you?"_

"Uh... the bar's called..." He squinted up at the neon sign, rubbing his eyes as if it would help with focus. "The Underground... I... I think it's in Manhattan."

_"I'll be there soon. Just stay there and don't do anything more stupid than you already have."_

"Roger that. Kirk out." With that he hung up, sitting down and resting against the wall, praying he wouldn't fall asleep before Harvey got there.

**XxXxXxXxXxX**

Mike's eyes opened slowly that morning. He felt vaguely fine until he sat up and his head suddenly felt like it had exploded. He groaned and shifted slightly, deciding to just put his head on his pillow and curling up with the closest thing to him - in this case H.B - which he still didn't know how it had found itself to his bed.

"Morning."

He jerked slightly at the unexpected voice but grunted in reply, refusing to move.

"Get up. There's breakfast and painkillers waiting for you on the table."

Mike waited until it sounded like Harvey had left before slowly getting up - painkillers sounded appealing. But he was terrified, and his stomach was churning like crazy. Whether it was because of the nerves or because of the alcohol, he wasn't quite sure. But he managed to pull himself out of bed and slowly made his way to the table. He didn't know what time it was, but Harvey was in a suit without a jacket, so it wasn't _quite_ the time for work yet.

He sidled into a chair and although his stomach flipped at the smell of the food Harvey had cooked, he took a small bite, just enough to help him take the painkillers before straightening and looking at Harvey through bloodshot eyes.

"Okay. Get it over with."

Harvey raised an eyebrow and sat down opposite him. "Firstly - you lied to me and didn't tell me you were going out."

"I never _not_ said I was going out?" Mike interjected hesitantly. Harvey ignored him.

"Secondly - you're _underage_. Thirdly - you didn't even take enough cash to get a cab home. What if I hadn't picked up? What if I'd been asleep?"

"I'd have been screwed." Mike said. "I know. And I'm sorry, really - but the other associates - "

"What? They _made_ you? You could have said no."

"Do you know how hard it is to fit in with them?" Mike asked, too tired to sound angry. "I can't do anything with them - they all go see a game; I can't afford it. They go out to a bar; I'm not old enough. Half the stuff they talk about I don't know what they're on about. They laugh at me for being young _and _being the boss' kid. So yeah, okay - the moment I'm invited I go. I just... I don't wanna be left out anymore."

"It's illegal to drink until you're 21."

"I know! But they said that it was cool, and that they know the owner. I didn't... I didn't think I was doing much wrong," he said in a small voice, looking down at his plate of food.

"Mike," Harvey sighed. "You could have gotten in big trouble. Not least for the fact that you didn't even know where you were; you could have gotten seriously injured. What if some of the associates are mean drunks? You already said they tease you; it could have gotten worse."

"No, they're all really nice!" Mike insisted. "I mean; they're really handsy when they're drunk, but - "

"What?" Harvey said, his voice low and his eyes dark.

"I just mean - "

"What did they do?"

"No, Dad, nothing. Well, except Lucy, but she - "

"Lucy... third year associate?" Harvey questioned.

"She was having boyfriend problems, and I was just talking to her. And she just decided to get a bit too... intimate... that was all."

Harvey narrowed his eyes. "Drink this," he passed Mike a large glass of water. "Then go back to bed. You can come in this afternoon. But, Mike," he said, stopping Mike standing. "You have to promise me not to do this again. You're underage, and I won't always be there to make sure you get home."

Mike nodded guiltily. "I promise, Dad. Can I go now?" Harvey nodded and pulled his head gently when he stood up, planting a kiss in his hair before ruffling it.

"Get some more sleep."

* * *

><p>"Okay, I think it's time to go," Mike said, looking at his watch. "Mom'll be back from court soon, and she'll wonder where we are." The children whined, not wanting to leave. "Grandpa's coming to ours tomorrow for dinner, alright?"<p>

"Will you bring the book?" One of the children begged, pulling on Harvey's sleeve. "I wanna see more pictures!"

"Me too!" The other added.

Harvey laughed. "Of course. If I can't embarrass your Dad, then what use am I?"

The kids giggled and Mike rolled his eyes, smirking. "Okay - we'll see you tomorrow, Dad. C'mon, guys." The children gave their grandpa one last goodbye before running out to wait by the car.

"Bye, Dad," Mike smiled, accepting the hug that Harvey offered when he stood up.

"Bye, kid," Harvey said, pulling back and grinning in the direction of where the children had ran. Mike saw this and smiled back.

"We did alright, didn't we?"

Harvey squeezed his shoulder. "We did good."

_The End._

* * *

><p><strong>AN That's it you guys. I don't really know what to say - after a LONG time with this series; I mean, it started not long after I started watching Suits and it went with me to Uni, and I'm finally finished. I just want to say thank you to everyone who enjoyed this series. Also, I'm sorry if you didn't see something you wanted to - as you can tell by the chapter length, there is just too much I could write. **

**I also want to quickly explain why I don't mention the children's names OR any other family members, or show if Harvey got married, or who Mike is married to. Basically, I don't like creating OC's. I'm worried they'll turn into Mary-Sues, or people will see them as self-insertions. Basically, I don't like deciding on character's futures in that way, if that makes ANY sense at all. I hope no one minds :)**

**But yeah - that's it. I think it's a good end to the series (hopefully) - well, at nearly 20,000 words it should be! Please let me know what you think; even if you've never reviewed before! That's it from me - again; I just hope you liked it :)**


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